Summer of Love
by katja134
Summary: When Hermione returns from the Marauder's Era and Sirius comes back from behind the Veil, will their love have a chance while war rages? Used to be "Love and War". Summer before 7th year, Pre HBP SiriusHG HPGW DMSusanBones RLNT NLLL ADMMG
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: E****verything you recognise belongs to J.K. Rowling.**

**Prologue**

_The Council of Fate_

_There is no evidence if the following story is true or just one of the many legends told. However it is one of the most interesting and intriguing __myths known._

_The Council of __Fate is supposed to be made up of the greatest witches and wizards of all time. Guessed members are not only Merlin himself, but also the founders of Hogwarts, Ignatia Wildsmith, Artemisia Lufkin, Mungo Bonham, Armando Dippet, Bridget Wenlock, Mneomone Radford and others. There is no evidence that any of these people are part in the Council, if you the chose to believe in its existence. Some of the legends also say that the Council is much and older and made up of far less members._

_There is little known about what the Council might be able to do. If really existing, __it certainly combines a lot of magical powers. Grogan Lovegood (1348-1489) suggested that the Council might be able to send people back and forth in time, change the future to a small extent and maybe even revive the dead. The Council would be completely good and only appear to help with holding dark forces at bay._

_However, none of this has been proven in any way. In the sixteenth century Donaghan Whitehorn presumed that the Council can only influence the magical world to a small extent. He spoke about the "Choice Principal" which would give people the choice between completing a job important for the defeat of the dark or living their personal happiness._

_With the stories about the Council goes one about Athena Gryffindor, daughter of Rowena Rawenclaw and Godric Gryffindor. She is told to be the only witch who was trans__ported back in time and then chose the good of the world over her own happiness. It is said, though, that the Council rewarded her for her brave and admirable choice._

_Nothing else is known about the legend of this mysterious Council. We remain in the dark if there truly is a way of fate to help those fighting for the light, or if this is just another fairytale._

**AN: The story will not continue in this form. This prologue is only to make things clearer for you, so if you don't like it, please don't stop reading.**


	2. Back in time

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the brilliant JKR. I'm just a humble fan!**

15th of June, 1996

Hermione Granger was on her way to the headmaster's office thinking about her research. She was desperately trying to find a spell which would help Harry defeat Voldermort. The part of the prophecy about the "power the Dark Lord knows not" had lead Dumbeldore and her to the conclusion that Harry needed to use a spell based on love. They hadn't found anything so far, but Hermione had just found some mentions of a spell she couldn't identify. Maybe this could hep them!

She had just past the gargoyle ("Mars Bars") and was on her way up the stairs when she felt herself being pulled away.

She was surrounded by mist and something foggy. She was searching for explanations what was happening and just about to send a Patronus when she heard the voice:

"Hermione Granger, you have proven your devotion to the Dark Lord's defeat. The Council of Fate offers you the chance to return in time. Continue your mission, and as soon as it is finished, make your choice. But remember, you can not change the future. It won't work, so you needn't even try."

The mist disappeared and she found herself on the headmaster's staircase once again. She sat down from shock for a while. She had been moved back in time to complete her mission? What was her mission? Well, she thought, she could guess that at least. The only thing she had been working on had been finding the spell. So maybe she would find information that would help her with that. She didn't know what the choice-stuff was about, but maybe she'd be able to find that out later.

And about not trying to change anything, well she'd see about that. Clearly, if this mysterious Council had said that and if they had the power to send her back in time, then they would be right about this, too.

For now she had to know if this had actually happened or if Fred and George had tested some of their new products on her. Quietly she said: "Temporum Revelio", while moving her wand in soft, clocklike curve.

Thin silver letters appeared in front of her, giving the date of 2nd of September, 1976. "Well, that's something now." She murmured. "I guess I better go see the headmaster now." She was calm again, even though the situation was absolutely shocking. "

But she had been in worse situations, and as far as she could understand she had a good chance of saving Harry and the others by being here. She knocked on the door and entered the office of her current and future headmaster.

I'd better give him a false name though," she thought to herself. She trusted Dumbeldore, but this was all a bit too strange to tell him about it just yet.

The headmaster looked up, astounded, when she came in. Before he could ask her anything she started speaking: "Good day, professor. My name is Mya Smith."

"Well then, Miss Smith, why don't you sit down and explain to me how you came here."

"No thank you, sir. I can only tell you that I'm a sixth year and, like you fighting Tom Riddle. I'm here on an essential mission for his defeat."

Albus Dumbeldore stared at the young woman in front of him for several minutes. He was astounded: she seemed sure of herself and even knew Voldermort's true name. He tried using legillemency on her but failed. There were strong magical barriers around her mind and she quickly averted her gaze. "I'm sorry; professor, but I'd rather not share this with you. There are things which have to remain secret for the time being." She grinned to herself. She'd bugged Snape for hours about teaching her legillemency. In her eyes, it was very important, and not only for Harry. She had started teaching him too, though and she'd had more success than Snape so far.

"All right, Miss Smith, I herby accept you as student. If you would put on the Sorting hat, please." Hermione obeyed immediately and the hat only took a moment before sorting her into Gryffindor. Dumbeldore smiled. He was relived. Experience had taught him that Gryffindors had a tendency to fight for the light.

"Then, Miss Smith, let me call Lily Evans, a fellow Gryffindor, to have you escorted to your dormitory."

She paled considerably. She hadn't realized that she would be attending school with Harry's parents. And Pettigrew. Her face became disgusted just by thinking about him.

Remus would be there, too, she could live with that. At least she didn't know he was dead or a traitor. But, she bit her lip, Sirius would be there. She'd meet a man she met and who had died. She knew now why the Council had presumed that she'd try to change the future.

**AN: Please review, guys! Side note: This story will not be about the time Hermione spends in the Marauder's Era. It will play after she returns.**


	3. Crossroad

**Disclaimer: nothing of this is mine. It all belongs to JKR, so don't sue me!**

**AN: I rewrote the first two chapters a couple of days ago. If you read them before 11/20, you might want to read them again.**

21st January, 1980

Hermione Granger, at this point better known as Mya Smith, sat in the library, reading an old volume. It wasn't very interesting though, and went she looked up her thoughts started travelling. She had been here for almost half a year now and she still hadn't found anything. A lot of her was glad though, because every day she failed to find the spell which was of such importance, she could spend here, with Sirius.

_--------------------------------------Flashback---------------------------------------------------------_

_Hermione was walking up the Main Street of Hogsmeade. __It was a chilly day at the beginning of October and she pulled her cloak a bit tighter. She hadn't wanted to come in first place, but she had to check out the bookstore if there was anything helpful there._

_It had been a failure though, and she was angry with herself. Well, she could go up the castle now._

_She'd tried avoiding the other students as much as possible; first of all, because she knew that almost all students in her year would either die or become insane (Frank and Alice Longbottom were also in her classes) and because, __when she went back again, it wouldn't cause so much of an uproar._

_She was coming close to the castle when she heard a laughter she knew all to well. She spun around immediately, her wand drawn. In front of her she saw Bellatrix Lestrange talking to Sirius: "Well, little cousin, you should really join __you know. The family wishes it."_

_Sirius replied angrily: "I don't care about the family. I'd rather die m__yself than kill innocent people."_

"_You know, dearest boy that was the answer I feared." Quickly she pulled her wand out, pointing it at her cousin. "Because I'm afraid than you are going to have to die today.__"_

_That was more than Hermione could take. The two Blacks couldn't see her, because they were busy staring at each other full of hate, so it came as a surprise to the Death Eater when Hermione spoke in a quite, yet dangerous voice: __"I don't think so, Bellatrix. Expelliarmus!"_

_On instinct the other woman drew up a shield, but it was __close. "Oh, and who are you? Another little mudblood? Crucio!"_

_Hermione dodged the curse. Silently, she thanked Harry for his teaching. She had spent a good part of her sixth year duelling with other DA- members._

_Tonks and Remus had helped__ and taught them, and according to them, the DA was better than most aurors by now. Hermione could even beat Tonks, and both Ginny's and Harry's duelling skills were almost legendary. Though, between them he kept the upper hand most of the time._

_Ron was good, too, but his gre__atest strength lay in strategy. At last those many chess games started paying off!_

_When Bellatrix sho__t again, Hermione snapped back._

_The two women started duelling and soon Bellatrix began to notice that she had met her match. Sirius stared open-mouthed at his cousin and the girl he knew nothing about. He hadn't paid much attention to Mya Smith. She was pretty, no he corrected himself, she was beautiful, but she'd sent definite stay-away signs_

_Now, she was standing here, duelling his cousin, right hand to the Dark Lord and one of the best duellers known. "Avada Kedavra", Bellatrix shouted._

_Hermione conjured a stone in front of her, which was instead hit by the spell. Using the other woman's shock she then used a cutting hex. It hit Bellatrix square on the face, ripping her cheek open. When the Death __Eater saw that she couldn't win his duel, she made her decision and apparated away._

_Hermione looked up and only then remembered Sirius standing right there, gasping at her. She let out a number of words which she normally would reprimand anybody for saying, but she felt that this was an occasion which deser__ved it._

_The she gave him a long, cold glare. It hurt her to look like this at somebody who she would later consider at good friend, but there wasn't much she could do. "If you ever mention this do anybody, I'll hex you that you can't speak for the rest of the year."_

_She was surprised when he looked back at her: "Well, beautiful lady, since you just saved my life I guess I'd better do it. I might tell James, Remus and Peter, though." She thought about it quickly. She trusted James and Remus, and Peter would probably hear the story anyway from his Death eater pals. Besides, it wouldn't hurt if he feared her._

_She nodded: "Alright- but only them."_

_He smiled at her. "Good! And no, we're going to the three Broomsticks to celebrate the fact you kicked my cousin's ass. And you're going to tell me where you learned to duel like that."_

_She protested, but he wouldn't hear anything and in the end she was glad she gave in. They spent the rest of the day __drinking butterbeer and talking. If she was honest with herself, she hadn't enjoyed a day more for a very long time and despite her worries and the fact that she still shuddered when she thought about their futures she had started to befriend the Marauders._

_James reminded__ her so much of Harry, it hurt._

_Lily and Remus had also become good friends, the three of them would often spend the evening discussing Arithmancy or Ancient Runes. She almost never talked to Peter, of course. _

_And Sirius, well he was Sirius. He was a lot __happier though now than in the times she'd known him. And after their first meeting he slowly started becoming more than a friend to her._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_It was a chilly __November evening, two weeks after the first Hogsmeade weekend. Hermione was sitting in front of the fire, doing her transfiguration essay and in between talking to Remus and his girlfriend, Emma._

_When she was just finishing her last paragraph on human transfiguration, Sirius came into the Common Room and sat down at their table. "Hey guys! Aren'__t you happy that I'm here now?"_

_Hermione quickly retorted: "No, Sirius, but we're happy for the people you left behind." Remus and Emma laughed. Sirius started pouting before looking at her with his best puppy- eyes: "Mya, you've insulted me terribly. But you can make it up to me my helping me with my Muggle Studies essay and telling me something about electry."_

"_You mean electricity. Did you even listen?"_

"_That's what I said. Will you help me? It's due on Tuesday."_

"_Tuesday? Not tomorrow. I'm proud of you, Sirius." She laughed._

"_Well, I'll be busy tomorrow."_

"_Busy?" She stopped and looked out of the window. An almost full moon was shining there. She nodded before adding in a quiet voice: "Be careful, all of you."_

_The three others stared at her, mouths open. It was only then she realized her mistake. She thought quickly before speaking: "Oh, close your mouths. It wasn't that hard- and I won't tell."_

_Sirius was still in shock. "Not that hard! It took James and me almost a year- and that was just about Remus."_

"_Well, I noticed at the first full moon that Remus didn't look to good afterwards and four weeks ago I was looking out of my dorm window and saw several creatures running into __the forest. And with your nicknames it wasn't too hard to figure out. Besides", she grinned cheekily at Sirius "You're far too much like at dog for me not to notice."_

_They were still starring at her, until the werewolf thanked for the fact that she wouldn't say anything in a quiet voice._

_She smiled at him encouragingly before turning back to Sirius: "Now, what was with that essay?" Remus cut in laughing: "You should really help him, you know. His usual Muggle Studies teacher has spent all her time in spare broom closets with Prongs the last weeks._

_She sighed dramatically: "I guess I have to give in, don't I?__"_

_It was almost half an hour later (Remus and Emma had long disappeared to find a broom closet of their own); when she noticed that he was staring intently._

_She was slightly irritated: "Sirius, are you listening."_

"_No, as a matter of fact I'm not__, Mya. I'm staring at you."_

"_Yes, I noticed. Why?"_

"_Well, first of all because you're an exceptionally pretty girl and second because I'm thinking of what we could do instead of this stupid essay." Suddenly he pulled her on his lap and started kissing her. She resisted at first, her mind war raging between: _

_Oh my God! I think I'm in love with Sirius Black and_

_He's Harry's godfather__ and he's going to die._

_But these were the last coherent thoughts for some time when she gave in to the kiss._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_It was the Saturday before Christmas and Hermione __and Sirius were in the Room of Requirement, cuddled up in front of the roaring fireplace._

_They weren't talking, just enjoying each other company. Hermione was also thinking about the fact that she loved the young man next to her._

_Of course, for most people __that would have been wonderful, but the fact that she was probably going to return soon- she had the feeling she was close to finding the spell- and that he would be dead then changed things a bit. She knew that it would have been the sensible thing to never start going out with him but somehow she, Hermione Granger, famous for her very sensible decisions, now loved Sirius Black._

_Her only hope was that he didn't love her, too, because that would make things even hard__er on him when she disappeared._

_She was interrupted when he quietly murmured just the words she didn't want to hear into her ear__ and yet was so happy about: "I love you."_

_She jumped up immediately: "No, Sirius, you don't, you can't."__ He looked at her shocked. She started crying. He pulled her into his arms. "Honey, what's the matter?" He held her till she stopped crying._

_Hermione took a deep breath. She owed him an explanation: "There are things I can't tell you and I might never be able to. I'm here on a mission and as soon as it's finished I'm going to disappear. You'll never see me again."_

_She felt him stiffen next to her. It was all it took to set her__ sobbing of again: "I'm so sorry, Sirius. I don't want to hurt you; I don't want to leave you. I didn't want any of this to happen. I was planning on being an outcast till I was finished. I didn't want to fall in love. I love you, and still I have to leave you. He has to be defeated."_

"_Calm down, Mya.__" He was still understanding, though she had told him she would leave. "Let's just enjoy the time we have." _

_Neither of them ever mentioned it again- there was nothing to say. But the knowledge that they only had a little more time hung above them._

_----------------------------End Flashback-------------------------------------------------------------------_

When the book she had just wanted to start reading fell out of her hand, she snapped back to the present. She sighed and continued her reading, wiping a tear from her face. It was already on the second page that she found what she'd been looking for a long time.

_Patronum Amorem_

_This spell__ is very rare and has only been used once._

_Merlin himself __invented it and used it against an unknown enemy. There are several rumours about this foe of the wizard, but nothing is known for sure. The spell builds on the power of love to destroy a purely evil fiend._

_Necessary is one caster, who must be surrounded by his true love __(Nimue took this role in Merlin's case) and six further magical pairings, adding up to seven as the most powerful magical number._

_All thirteen people taking part in the spe__ll most love the caster deeply._

_It is necessary for them to have direct contact with him while the spell is preformed. It is suggested that the couples are married, because only than can the necessary magical binding be guaranteed. But the spell also works with unmarried pairs, but they need a__n exceptionally strong binding._

_The incantation is "Partronum Amorem" and the wand movement is the same as for the Patronus spell. But, instead of thinking of happy memories, all couples must focus on the love they fell for their partner and the caster._

The moment she had finished reading mist surrounded her and she heard a voice, which sounded much gentler this time.

"You have to make a choice now, Hermione." Pictures flashed in front of her. She saw herself marrying Sirius and laughing with Lily.

The voice continued on: "But it is necessary for the war to be won that you return. If you chose to stay, the Council will use its power to do what you can not and change the future. She saw pictures again: Lily and James were dead, but Sirius and she took Harry in. "But remember that your information is necessary for him to be defeated.

You must decide: your happiness or the possible, only possible, end of the Dark Lord's reign.

She bit her lip. Seconds went by and become minutes, while tears where running down the young woman's face. Finally, she grabbed a piece of paper and started writing.

_I love you- forever. Mya_

Sirius would find it; they were due to meet here in half an hour. Then, she felt again the familiar pull. "Almost like a Portkey", she murmured to herself, but to her surprise she didn't land in Hogwarts.

She seemed to be on a cloud; at least it was quite wet and still very, very foggy. There were shadows in front of her, but she was unable to really see them through the fog.

The furthermost figure spoke: "Hermione Granger, you have made a choice of bravery and dedication to the light. Only one person before you made this choice, and though it was offered to many others, they all chose their personal happiness. We admire you greatly. And, as you gave up one of the things you wanted most, we will give it back to you. Do not ask now, you will soon know. Good luck to you."

She was pulled yet again. (It was getting less uncomfortable each time) and found herself where she had left over sixth months ago. She was back in her time, not a day had past since she was sent back and yet so much had changed.

**Please review!!! On a side note: Hermione was transported to the Marauder's seventh year, it was the beginning of September when she arrived. (See previous chapter)**


	4. Home, sweet home

**Disclaimer: ****same old, same old- everything belongs to JKR. I'm making no profit from this.**

Hermione was sitting on a comfortable armchair in the living room of Grimmauld Place. They'd left school two days ago to come here. The Order Headquarters were the only places were it was safe to stay since Harry had point-blank refused to return to the Dursleys. And it wasn't really that bad anymore. Actually, the house looked quite good now.

They'd already been here last summer and Ginny and Dobby (the elf had been sent to help by Dumbeldore) decided that: "The great Harry Potter and his Wheezys and all his other great friends can not live in a place like this."

Between Dobby's elf powers, the fact that Ginny could do magic here because the house was so heavily warded that nobody in the Ministry noticed and, most important, because nobody dared interfere with the two of them the house looked great now. They'd decided on Gryffindor colours for the most part and the living room they were all in now looked almost like the Common Room.

Hermione's eyes drifted around the room. It was late in the evening; they had finished dinner some time ago. She was sitting at a table with Harry and Ron who were playing Wizard's chess while Ginny was whispering hints into Harry's ear.

Molly was knitting; Arthur, Bill, Remus, Fleur and Tonks were discussing something that sounded a lot like Order business. She didn't concentrate on what they were saying, though, because she'd undoubtedly find out at the meeting tomorrow.

Fred and George were leading a discussion with Mundungus in the corner; from time to time she heard their laughter. She'd bet they were discussing something illegal which Molly would most certainly not approve of. She'd accepted the fact that the twins were leading a (very successful) joke shop, but she still didn't like Mundungus.

This place was home for Hermione and the others now, they'd all spent so much time here, but for Hermione somebody was missing. Without him everything was so different now. She reprimanded herself when she noticed she was thinking about Sirius again.

Her return had been two weeks ago and it had been the worst time of her life. She'd made her choice. There was nothing she could do about it. But still, she missed him so much. She blamed herself for his death- she could have stopped it. The feelings of guilt and pain grew stronger with each day, but there was really nothing she could do.

She hadn't told anybody except for Ginny what had happened. No time had passed while she'd lived through half a year and so nobody noticed that she'd been gone. She'd landed right in front of Dumbeldore's office again, not a minute had passed. She hadn't mentioned the spell to anyone either. She knew there was a time to tell Harry and everybody else the truth and then she would also give him the spell.

But for now- she couldn't just walk up to Harry and say something like: "By the way, Harry, I travelled back in time two weeks ago. I found a way for you to defeat Voldermort and I met your parents. Oh, and I fell in love with your godfather- but I condemned him to death so that you can win. Don't feel bad about that though, it's my fault."

She sighed softly. Ginny looked up at her and guessed her friend's thoughts. Quietly she mouthed: "Don't blame yourself." Hermione nodded, but she didn't really mean it. The pain of her loss was still so fresh and she missed Sirius so much. She'd leave now, she decided. She couldn't bear being here anymore, she just wanted to be alone and mourn in peace.

She turned her head towards the door and received the probably largest shock of her life. The words "this can't be true" still on the tip of her tongue she fainted. There, in the entrance of the living room of Grimmauld Place 12 stood no other than Sirius Black.

Sirius Black had been standing in the doorway of his ancestor's home for quite some time now, watching the people he considered his family. He didn't know how he'd returned and he had no memories of what had happened between his fall through the veil and the present, but he was sure he'd missed them all.

The brunette was the first to see him when she gazed his way and promptly fainted. And that moment he nearly fainted, too, because she looked just like a woman he hadn't seen in years, but never forgotten. It had to be Hermione though, he reprimanded himself there was no other explanation. Mya would have been much older by now. Still, Hermione was beautiful, so different from how he remembered her. "She's your godfather's friend, for god's sake, cut it out, Sirius," he murmured ever so quietly to himself.

Ginny was the first to look up at Hermione. She seemed much older now, he noticed. When there eyes met, he saw there that the times since he's death hadn't been peaceful- and that probably meant that they had all been in the middle of the fighting.

The redhead jumped up: "Sirius? Is that really you?" She didn't seem able to believe it- not that that astounded him, it was pretty unbelievable after all. She jumped up and pointed her wand at him. By now the whole room was staring and Harry, Ron, Tonks and Remus had also pulled their wands.

The werewolf spoke first, fear and hope etched onto his face: "Password?"

Sirius answered quickly: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Instantly he was surrounded by the whole room. Harry and Remus reached him first, tears of joy running down their face, hugging him and pulling him down on a chair.

"It's good to have you back, Sirius."

"It is you, Padfoot."

"What happened? How did you manage to return?"

And from twins: "You guys are the Marauders?"

Sirius laughed. It was a laugh not heard by anybody for years, since Lily and James died. It was laugh of pure happiness and joy. He was home.

He sat down. "Merlin, it's great to be back here. To answer your questions: I have no idea what happened. All I remember is falling through that veil and the next moment I was somewhere in the Caribbean. That's why it took me so long to come back here, I actually returned two weeks ago. I was shocked when I found out the date and that I'd been dead or something for all this time."

Tonks laughed and hugged him: "Well, it's great to have you back anyway, dearest cousin. Mum will be so pleased."

Remus smiled: "Oi, Padfoot leave your hands of my wife!"

Everybody else started laughing at the look on Sirius's face: "Wife? You mean", he turned to Tonks: "the old werewolf finally asked you?"

"You're as charming as ever, old friend, you're just as old as me."

"I save my charm for the ladies, Moony."

The conversation continued. Where the mood had been anxious for months, it finally lightened up. Remus smiled to himself, Padfoot had always had that effect on people. Especially the old Sirius, who seemed to be back in his whole glory.

Hermione, by now recovered from the shock, just stared at Sirius from a quiet corner of the room. So this was what the Council had meant. She had no idea what would happen now, the future was as uncertain as ever, but somehow she felt safer. And she was happy, for the first time since her return. She didn't know how to tell Sirius, but everything was better than him being dead. A genuine smile crossed her face.

**AN: See this little blue button over there- please click and review. Thank you sooo much too those people who reviewed:**** writingqueen13, Tomorrows Dust, googlibear, Slytherin-Lycan and amrawo. Your reviews really helped and motivated me!!!**


	5. Drinks and a Kiss

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognise is J.K. Rowlings. I'm only writing for amusement- and the reviews. So please review, guys and thank you so much t****o all those people who reviewed: Slytherin-Lycan, amrawo and googlibear. You're reviews were wonderful and heplful- thank you!!!**

It was a beautiful morning; a week after Sirius's return, and the kitchen of Grimmauld Place was full of people when the four school owl's arrived. To everybody's surprise :) Hermione made Head Girl.

Mrs Weasley decided that they would go to Diagon Alley the day after tomorrow, since it was a Saturday and a large number of Order members would be able to accompany them for protection.

Harry and Ron (who'd been made Quidditch Captain) had both been offered the Head Boy post, but refused. After Harry's fallout with Dumbeldore he had begun to mistrust the old headmaster and they had started the DA again and it kept them quite busy. Harry had said that "preparing for the future is more important than that badge." Hermione had wanted to give up her post too, but she was convinced that she deserved a reward for all her hard work.

Another surprise was that Sirius was the new Transfiguration teacher. Professor McGonogall would concentrate on her post as Deputy Headmistress, so that Dumbeldore could lead the Order more effectively, though he would still remain headmaster.

Ginny walked over to the far corner of the room where Sirius was talking with Remus. She wanted to congratulate Sirius on his new post. When she came closer, she heard their conversation.

"Well, Moony old pal, looks like we'll be colleagues now." (Remus had been made DADA teacher again, after Umbridge left. Tonks worked with him and substituted on the days around full moon.)

"Yes, we will be. But if you spend the school year staring at Hermione, like you're just doing again, Dumbeldore will notice."

The redhead stopped dead in her tracks. This was something that could turn out very interesting.

"Yes, yes, it's just she looks so much like Mya."

"You're right. I never noticed. She changed quite a bit over the last year."

"Well, you saw her everyday. But now- they could have been twins."

"Yes. Still, you should move on, Sirius. You can't spend half your life mourning over a woman who clearly stated she wouldn't return."

"I moved on."

"Yes, if you call shagging every woman in a hundred-mile-radius moving on, you moved on very well. I mean emotionally. You haven't had a girlfriend for longer than two weeks since then."

"There aren't exactly that many women in Askaban, you know."

"Padfoot, please. There would have been plenty of options before and after."

"I know, you've told me often enough. She was one of a kind though."

Remus nodded. He didn't approve of the fact that Mya had left Sirius, had left them all, but he didn't really blame her. She'd been old beyond her age and he was quite sure that she had some damn good reasons. "She was. Still, you can't mourn her forever. And you shouldn't start going after Hermione because she reminds you of Mya. It's unfair to both of them."

"I'm not doing anything with Hermione."

"No- if you don't count staring at her constantly, flirting with her or telling her things you don't normally talk about. For Merlin's sake, the two of you discussed Azkaban yesterday."

"You act as if I talk only to her. I speak with Molly, with Tonks, with Ginny…Besides she's a special girl even without the fact that she is very similar to Mya."

"Yes, but Molly and Tonks are both married and Ginny is…"

"Far too good for you", the redhead suggested, walking up to the two men.

Sirius laughed: "I'm not sure about that, though you're certainly better at sneaking up on people or listening in on conversations you aren't supposed to hear."

"Well, growing up with my brothers you learn how to blackmail fast- and I think I'm very good at it." She grinned at him cheekily and saw his smile waver. He didn't exceptionally want Hermione to hear what he had just said- especially not from Ginny. She laughed: "Oh, Godric, I'm only teasing, Sirius."

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It was far after midnight when Ginny entered the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. She'd just woken up from a particularly horrendous nightmare involving Harry dieing in the Chamber of Secrets. Nobody knew about her terrifying dreams- well, except for the man sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of firewhiskey in front of him.

She pulled up a chair. "I know I've told you before, but you really shouldn't drink alone."

Sirius smiled. "I'd say your too young too drink with me."

She grinned. "But we've been over this, so will I have to take myself or will you be gentleman."

_Flashback_

"_You're too young to drink."_

"_Yes, I know." She looked up at the older man. "But I'm also too young to have been possessed by the most evil wizard of all time, to have a father in hospital that might die for the greater good and to be in love with a guy who is number one on said evil's hit list."_

"_You really love him, don't you?"_

"_Yes." Her answer was simple, one word and not even needed. She knew he'd figured out what everybody else thought she was over. She'd seen it in the way he smiled at her when she sat next to Harry. "Do I have your approval?" The question was teasing and sincere at the same time._

"_You know you have it. You'd be good for him- and he'll come round. He just doesn't know it yet."_

"_How can you be so sure?"_

_He smiled. "It's in his eyes. James courted Lily for seven years and she only gave in at the end of sixth year. Everybody knew already. And the way he looks at you- it's just like Lily looking at James before she knew she loved him."_

"_Thank you, Sirius. Sometimes he just drives me crazy. He's snogging Cho bloody Chang now and I can't even go around throwing things because everyone thinks I gave up on him. Sometimes that's just what I want to do- forget him. "_

"_You shouldn't do that, believe me. True love is far too precious to throw it away."_

_She looked at him enquiringly. In his eyes there is story of a love so desperate and deep, and yet one who couldn't survive. He won't say anything now and she won't ask. It's a silent truce that he'll tell her one day. After all, she gave him her whole story._

_After that they speak of things which only they can understand. They know what it means to be possessed by evil and hate. That's why he let's the fourteen-year old drink with him. He's the only one who sees her true age. To Harry and to most of the others it's clear what it means to fight the evil, but this is another level. It's about what it means if mind and soul are no longer in your hand, instead there is evil and darkness everywhere._

_Harry understands it to an extent. He spent eleven years with the Dursleys and though it's not the same, together with all he has fought, he can comprehend a lot of what they've been through. But Sirius is the only one who really knows what it means and that's why they drank together that night- to forget._

He conjured a glass, handing it to her. She smiled her thanks. "Has it changed- after death?" she asked. It's clear to both of them what she means: the nightmares, the remembering, and the fact that it never truly goes away- at least not at night. He nodded: "In a way yes. It's just not so real anymore. I shouldn't be doing this. I'm back from the dead and for the first time in years my name is cleared, but today I drink to forget a woman and the fact that she left me."

"Tell me about her, Sirius. Tell me about Mya."

"How do you…you were listening in to us the whole time."

"So right." She wasn't ashamed in the slightest. "It was just too interesting."

"Mya was wonderful. She was beautiful and so different from all the girls at Hogwarts. She had depth. At that time, life was still fairly peaceful and most of us were protected. Of course, there were Death Eater raids and that stuff, but we didn't have to fight. She was warrior though, and she'd battled all right. The way she duelled." His eyes grew dreamy; he seemed to be somewhere else now. She waited, give him time.

He continued his story. "The first time I noticed her she dulled Bellatrix to save my life. If the old bitch hadn't appareted away, Mya would have beaten her. But I fell in love with her while I was out running one night. I was in the Forbidden Forest, in my dog form. She was there, too, though she never saw me. She was talking to the thestrals. I wouldn't have understood, but we'd just had that in class. She looked gorgeous, then, though she wasn't wearing anything special, she herself was special enough. She was simply wonderful."

Ginny nodded quietly, unsure what to say. She knew she'd definitely talk to Hermione about this- not en detail of course. Hermione would have a fit if she'd ever find out she'd been drinking with Sirius. Still, he deserved to know, but it wasn't her story to tell. And both of them deserved the love. They were like made for each other- perfect opposites and yet so similar.

He interrupted her thoughts. "Enough talking about the past. Tell me what's going on between you and my godson. And don't give me the shit that he loves you too much for you to be together. Hermione told me that one and I don't believe one word. Bet it was fun to act out, though."

"You talked with Hermione? We'll get to that. Now, why should I tell you anything- you already know it all. Of course it's an act. I'm somewhere in the top ten of Tom's list, I wouldn't give up the love of my life just because I might be a couple of places higher. Besides, if they kidnapped me to get to Harry, they don't know him very well. He'd come to rescue a person he doesn't know- what would they need me for? Well, I made him see sense, but he still insisted on this ridiculous stuff. Nobody except Hermione- and you- knows, though I'm quite sure Remus suspects something. You are really perceptive though- it took both of them a lot longer."

"Well, on the run you have to take care- and you need to notice the small things." She didn't turn away or try to change the theme.

She just smiled, giving courage and strength. "I guess you're right."

It was quite some time later when she started talking again. "So, what is going on between you and Hermione?"

"I don't know. She's special and..."

He didn't complete his sentence, so she did it. "And you're falling in love with her though it's only been a couple of days. If you don't count the time before at least."

"Yes, you win. I just don't know what to do about her. She is the first woman since Mya I ever felt anything for."

"Go for it. Both of you deserve some happiness." She smiled a smile which made him afraid she was going to play matchmaker. "If you don't tell her, I will- and I don't think she'll be unhappy to hear. So, I'm going to bed now." She got up, kissed him on the cheek and left. "Sweet dreams, Black."

He looked up when he saw Hermione enter. She seemed astounded to see him here. "Sirius,

what are you doing?"

"Quite the traffic here tonight. Anyway I'm getting pissed- what about you?"

"You really shouldn't drink that stuff. I wanted some water." She looked lovely like that- a bit angry, still tired, wearing only her nightdress, her long hair was flowing freely.

Before she knows it, he was kissing her. She was quite glad to be pinned against the wall, because her knees might have just given in. It was the happiest months of her life all over again and she stopped thinking. He always had had that effect on her, making her forget her name and everything else, so it'd only when they pulls apart, she really realized what's happening, that he didn't know the truth and that he was be drunk.

She left his grip, running up the stairs, unsure and afraid again, at the same time wishing the kiss had never ended. She doesn't know what to say, if she should tell him that she had been the heartless bitch that left him to die. In anger and fear, she cried herself to sleep.

**AN: I hoped you like the chapter. I you did, please leave a review. If you didn't, please do too. It helps so much to understand and read what the readers think. So please click that blue button and leave me a short note. (If you make it longer, I most certainly won't complain.) And thanks again to everybody who reviewed so far.**


	6. Hangovers and Truths

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to JKR. Though, I wish I owned Sirius. (As a good Sirius-fan, I had to write that at some point). I hope you enjoy the chapter. (It's not as cliché as the disclaimer- I hope.)**

It was a beautiful morning and the sun shone merrily into the window- but for some people it was still a bit too early.

"I hope you have a good explanation for this. It's eight o'clock in the bloody morning. No, don't say anything. First point of order is the kitchen- I need a hangover potion."

The two young women entered the kitchen to find Remus and Tonks eating breakfast.

"Good morning, ladies." Remus smiled at them. "Up so early? Everybody else is still asleep. Well, except your mother, Ginny, she's at the Burrow. She said it needed to be cleaned up properly."

"Why does she want to clean up a place where we don't even life? Honestly, I don't understand her. Now, to more important matters", Ginny said while sliding into a chair. "Is there hangover potion here anywhere?"

"Have you been drinking, Ginny?"

"No, Mione, dearest, the hangover potion just tastes so good."

Remus chuckled. "It's over there somewhere, in the cabinet. But I don't know how much there is. A completely unknown person already came down here this morning, drank some and went back up."

"If that git emptied it, I'm going to kill him. Very slowly and cruelly. Can you get it for me, Remus, please? Tonks, tell him to get it."

There werewolf's wife laughed. "Well, if that's what you want, Gin. Remus, get that potion for your future best-friend's daughter-in-law."

While Ginny blushed a shade of red matching her hair, Remus laughed. "Well, Prongs would sure like the fact she drank a whole bottle of firewhiskey. But you should be careful, Dora, that you don't have everyone against you." He got up and walked over to the cabinet.

Behind him Ginny protested: "I did not drink that whole bottle- not by myself at least."

"Was my dear cousin corrupting the youth again?"

Ginny laughed: "Remus, please hurry. I can't think of proper responses with a head like this. Remus?" She looked up at her former professor. He was standing in front of the cabinet, staring transfixed into an open drawer. Slowly he turned around.

Hermione immediately recognized the scrap of paper Remus was holding in his hand. She'd have known what it was anywhere, everywhere. It was the letter she'd written to Sirius when she left, those few words she meant so much. She looked at Remus and was sure he recognised her writing. He'd corrected her essays for a year and after that there had been a lot of order reports. He stared at her question and answer in his eyes. "Mya?" he didn't really speak it, it was less than a whisper. He didn't understand of course, but yet he was so sure, so very sure. Hermione felt her face blank of all colour. Remus was a good friend, in this time and all others and she didn't want to lose him.

"Could somebody please tell me what's going on?" Tonks questioned before continuing teasingly. "And Remus, don't stare at Hermione like that, I'm getting jealous."

"Don't worry." Remus said. He spoke quietly and his voice seemed hoarse. "If this is really happening, she is completely and utterly given away."

Hermione took a deep breath. She knew she had to tell them, Remus deserved an explanation. "It is me." She wanted to continue, but Remus interrupted her. "Does he know?" It was clear to the girl who he meant and she knew his answer wouldn't please him. Silently, she shook her head.

"Why don't you let Hermione tell what happened", Ginny asked. Her voice was light and somehow she managed to bring a bit of calm into the room. And so the brunette told her story, everything that had happened to her in those last months. When she was finished, the werewolf and Tonks both got up and hugged the girl who was crying by now. Tonks and Ginny themselves also had tears in her eyes when she came to the part about her and Sirius, though Ginny had already heard it all before.

"Well, it's good to have you back." Remus said, smiling. "But you do know that you have to tell him sooner or later and you made the right choice. It did turn out well- don't blame yourself for the things that happened."

She nodded. "Yes, it's just so hard."

Remus knew it wouldn't be easy for her, especially telling Sirius. It had to happen at some point though. "Well, merrier subjects. You said you found a spell that would help Harry defeat Voldermort?"

Hermione smiled, thankful for the change in subject. "Yes, I did find one. Still, there is a problem, we need six couples very deeply in love, and best married who all also love Harry. And Ginny of course as a person who loves Harry totally and romantically," she said, turning her friend a bright shade of red.

"Who else is there?" Tonks asked. "I can think of the Weasleys of course, maybe Bill and Fleur, too."

"You and Remus", Ginny said, having returned to a bit paler colour of skin.

"Do you really think?"

"Yes, the two of you are perfect. You absolutely fulfil ever criteria. Much better than Bill and his dear wife Phlegm."

"I know another couple which will work," Remus commented. "But I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you- they're secretly married."

All three girls gave a nearly identical cry of "Who?"

"I really don't know if I can say", he teased.

"Remus John Lupin", Tonks cried out, her hair changing from a bright green to pink with yellow streaks. "You give us the name right now or you'll be sleeping on the couch."

"Okay, okay, I admit defeat: the Dumbeldores."

"The what?" Hermione gasped. Ginny was just staring blankly at the werewolf while Tonks mouth was hanging wide open. "You mean Dumbeldore is married."

"Yup."

"I can't believe that. I always thought he was the kind of guy who'd lost his love in the war against Grindelwald."

"Well, it seems he didn't. He's married to Minnie."

"Minnie?" Hermione looked absolutely flabbergasted. "You don't mean…"

"The Marauders always called her that. James and Sirius more often than the rest of us, though."

"How do you know anyway?"

"Sirius asked her."

"He what?"

"I hear my name being spoken. Are you talking about the fact how gorgeous and good-looking I am, ladies?" Sirius interrupted, entering the kitchen.

"No", Ginny answered quickly, trying not to let him see the fact that his appearance had struck everyone else quiet. She could see that Remus and Tonks were thinking about what they had heard from Hermione, whose eyes were stricken with guilt again. "We were wondering how in earth you got _Minnie_- that really sounds much better than that Professor stuff- to tell you she is married."

"Aw, a Marauder at heart. Minnie will love to hear that name again. Promise you'll call her that."

Ginny and Tonks started giggling, even Hermione couldn't suppress a small chuckle, though she was still intently looking anywhere but Sirius. It was only then that Ginny noticed that Sirius was also avoiding the brunette's eyes. Something must have happened there, well she'd find out. She turned back to the Marauder. "So, how did discover the big secret?"

"I asked her as a joke once, in seventh year, on my way out of class, and she just answered yes. Then I said she broke my heart and if I could know the name of this evil man so I could challenge him. She laughed and told me it was lucky she'd married the only man who might be able to beat me."

"Yes, I rem…" Hermione suddenly broke of. "That must have been funny." Luckily for her Sirius didn't notice her mistake, but it was a tight call. Quietly, she vowed to herself to be more careful in the future, or better yet to tell him.

She had her chance several hours later. She was alone in the kitchen, humming when he came in. Since Molly was at the Burrow she'd prepare a quick supper.

Sirius entered, staring at the young woman slicing tomatoes for the salad. She was beautiful. There was something about her that made her so very special. Though he'd only been back for a couple of days, he'd fallen in love with her. It was something he absolutely couldn't understand. For a long time, no woman had awoken any love in him, and now there was this girl, much too young.

She turned around and smiled at him. He remembered she'd left so abruptly yesterday and decided to let her be alone. "Sorry, to disturb you. I'll just go again."

"No." Her voice was calm and yet shivered with nervousness. She stopped her preparations, pulled up a chair and motioned for him to sit down. "We need to talk."

"Listen, about yesterday, I'm sorry." He stated. Sirius didn't want to lose her friendship if that was all he could have.

"Why? I'm not. Well, I am, but only about leaving so fast. But we'll have to talk about that later. I want to tell you a story first."

He looked at her, slightly irritated. Which kind of girl practically tells you she wants you to kiss her and then starts some kind if story. Well, he couldn't do much but listen for now.

"This story goes about a young woman who was transported to a place in order to complete a mission. The Council of Fate brought her there."

"Isn't that a legend?"

"Yes, about as much as the Chamber of Secrets. Believe me, it's very true. Anyway, the only reason she was there was in order to accomplish said mission. But while she was trying to do that, she fell in love with a guy there. She tried not to at first, because she knew he would die. They were happy for some time, but then she had to leave. Well, she didn't have to. She had a choice: live a happy life with the man she loved or return to her destination. There was a catch though. If she didn't go back, Voldermort could never be defeated. But she knew that if she went back the man she loved would be dead."

He was surprised. Was this some kind of modern fairytale? He'd heard one like that once, but without Voldermort of course. "I don't understand why you're telling me this."

She looked at him and took a deep breath. Everything was at stake now. "Her name was Mya. Mya Smith."

He was surprised. Only Ginny and Remus knew about the girl he'd loved so much. But then it all started falling into place. He just sat there; staring blankly for a couple of seconds, while knowledge slowly came to him. His voice was cold now. He had no idea what to do, but still he asked the question that would tell him if his assumptions were the truth. "How was she transported to that place?"

Hermione flinched. He sounded icy and fear washed over her. Fear that he wouldn't forgive her, where she couldn't forgive herself. Two words, deciding over her future. "Time travel."

He left. Just stood up. "I need some time to think about all of this." He went without another word, not knowing that the girl he left behind started crying for everything she had lost. She didn't believe that he could forgive her, and at that moment, he didn't know either.

**AN: So that's finished. I had awful case of writer's block on this chapter and it just didn't turn out the way I wanted it. Don't be too angry with me about Sirius's reaction. They couldn't just kiss and be happy. And how would you react after somebody told you they gave up a happy life for the two of you "for the greater good." I mean that being noble stuff is great, but they're just people, too. (If you forget the fact that this is completely fictional.)**

**If you have any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them. If you don't, I'd still be very happy about a review. So, please click that little blue button.**

**A special thanks to all those great people who reviewed. That really keeps me going. A round of applause please too amrawo, Slytherin-Lycan, Tomorrows Dust, googlibear and pstibbons.**

**You guys are great!!!!!!!!**

**The next chapter will involve shopping and a Death Eater attack. I'll probably update at the beginning of next week.**


	7. Shopping and Sacrifice

It was a beautiful morning and the sun shone merrily into the window- but for some people it was still a bit too early

**Disclaimer: ****Ok, I'm getting bored by this stuff; I mean its kind of obvious that I wouldn't be writing fanfiction if I could earn money, but what the hell. I herby announce that everything you recognise probably belongs to JKR. Now enjoy your read, I hope you like the chapter and am sorry for taking so long to update.**

Two days later the trip to Diagon Alley was planned. Though most where glad to come out of the house, for some people the mood wasn't too good. Sirius desperately tried to avoid Remus's gaze of disappointment, Ginny's angry glares and, worst of all, Hermione's red-rimmed eyes full of guilt and love. He knew she didn't blame him and that just made it even worse.

Ginny and Remus had immediately seen that something was going on when Hermione came down to breakfast that morning. Ginny had already been suspicious that her friend had returned so late that night, but she hadn't thought about it much. Nevertheless, in the morning one gaze had at her told them that her talk with Sirius had probably gone very, very wrong.

They'd cornered her after breakfast and after she told them what had happened Remus had needed all the convincing-power he'd gathered in years of preventing James and Sirius from too crazy pranks to avoid having Ginny break down Sirius's door, bat-bogey him and then imperius him to apologize to Hermione.

Though Remus thought that nothing was too wrong with the redheads idea, he doubted it would help anyone much. And to a part, he could understand Sirius. After all, who'd not go utterly and completely crazy after the girl you loved for twenty years announced she'd left you, knew you'd die and now suddenly was back.

Of course, Hermione had taken a bit of a wrong start on the whole thing. Not that anybody could blame her, but her own guilt overruled the matter so much she couldn't really tell the story from a point of view that didn't fault her.

Still, things hadn't reconciled between Sirius and Hermione yet and Remus was starting to get worried. Hermione had been pale and eaten almost nothing, while Sirius had shut himself into his room most of the time. Ginny's idea of imperius seemed to be become better with every passing day, especially since the others were starting to notice the odd behaviour.

Remus had spoken with Sirius and convinced him to hear Hermione out at the very least. Still, nothing of the sort had happened yet.

So, all in all, today had taken an extremely bad start. Now, they were all one their way to Diagon Alley, where they were going by portkey for security reasons. It was quite tight around the small coup with all the Weasley's except Percy (Bill and Charlie were coming as Order guards), Harry, Hermione, Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Moody and Fleur. The last five were also coming as Order members, which meant that Sirius's try not to participate in the trip failed utterly.

The morning was nothing out of the ordinary, which included a fit from Ginny when Mrs Weasley wanted to buy her pink robes for the ball (the shouting match ended with Mrs Weasley leaving and Ginny doing what she wished, furthermore refusing to show anybody what she had bought.)

The Weasleys were now quite well equipped after Mr Weasley had been promoted and they had been on the receiving end on several million galleons from Sirius's will which they of course tried to give back after his return. Sirius blankly refused and pointed out that a forefather of Arthur's had once been disowned by the Black family. He used the same argument for Remus and Tonks, since Tonks' mother had also been a Black before her marriage.

The majority of his money would be returned to him anyway, because he had given it to Harry who'd made clear that he had more than enough. After Sirius's death the young man had found out about the Potter vault, which held on of the largest fortunes known, much more than the Malfoy or the Black possession. (AN: I know that giving Harry all this money is very cliché, but he deserves some good things, don't you think?) The Potters had invested into the muggle world, opposed to all other pure-blood families and there investions were definitely paying off.

Sirius was walking in the back of the group and could stare at Hermione without anyone noticing. She was beautiful. Her hair, once bushy, now descended down her back in soft, wavy curls. He should really talk with her, he knew it. Remus was right about that, eh hadn't even let her finish her story.

Still, it was hard to forget everything that happened and he was simply unsure what to do. He couldn't really blame her for her choice, of course. He wouldn't feel well knowing that hundreds of people would be killed by Voldermort, but it still wasn't easy to accept. Furthermore, he didn't know if he could love Hermione like he had loved Mya. They were the same, but he had changed over the years.

He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a voice behind him yell. "Attack." He spun around immediately and saw a group of thirty or so Death Eaters standing in front of him. He ducked the first curse on instinct and fired a stunner at the caster. By now, the others had also turned and, out of the corner of his eyes he was astounded to see the children, no, they weren't kids anymore, fire some of the most advanced curses he'd ever seen.

When a woman started throwing curses at him, he quickly drew up a shield, before recognising his cousin once again. The battle raged on, and while most of the Death Eaters were taken down in a reasonable amount of time, Sirius and Bellatrix were still fighting. He had to lower his protection for a moment to throw another curse at her and she used it, firing at him with a yell of Sectumsempra and a long, sharp jab of her wand.

Hermione watched in slow motion as a jet of blinding light flew towards the love of her life. It would hit him square in the chest. She saw that he wouldn't have the time to draw up a shield strong enough in such a short time. This couldn't happen. She wouldn't lose him again. Not so shortly after he had returned to her.

It was a quick decision, made in the smallest part of a second, when she threw herself in front of the curse. There were no dramatic cries of "No", just a quick turning of her body to protect her love. It slashed her side open cutting her cheek, down her neck and all the way to her hip. The last thing she saw before she fainted was a pair of bright, grey eyes looking down at her, full of fear and love.

Sirius didn't remember much of the following hours. Somehow, they were all transported back to Grimmauld Place. He was carrying Hermione the whole time, only leaving her in the care of Madame Pomfrey when they arrived. He spent the next hours pacing in front of the close door where the nurse and several healers where working feverently.

"How is she?" The nurse was bombarded with the question as soon as she opened the door to the room where Hermione lay.

"She's still in danger. We did our best, but I don't know if it was enough. She lost a massive amount of blood and half her side was sliced open. Even if she heals, the scars will stay."

"Can we go and see her, Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked the question and normally she wouldn't have allowed it, but she had the feeling that the girl desperately needed something to live for and if her friends couldn't provide it, who could?

"Yes, but be quiet." Without a sound Ginny, Ron, Harry and, last of them, Sirius entered the room. The others had gone down.

While Madame Pomfrey made her way down the stairs to inform them about her patient's well- or rather not-well-being, she saw the look in the eyes of Sirius Black. She already noticed it when he carried the girl, and now she was sure. Poppy Pomfrey had seen a lot in her life and she was certain he loved the girl who'd so readily given up her life for him.

Because of that, she didn't throw him out when she returned. In a silent understanding between the two women, Ginny ushered Ron and Harry out and left herself. "I'll be in the next room, Mr Black, please, inform me right away if something changes."

He silently nodded before she, too, went and left them alone. Sirius stayed all night at the side of the woman he loved so deeply, talking to her quietly and letting the tears run down his face. "Don't you dare leave me, Mya, Hermione, whatever. I don't even know what to call you. You're going to have to tell me when you wake up, because that's exactly what you're going to do. You hear me, stay, honey, you can't go now."

"I'm supposed to be angry at you, but after hearing that, it's kind of hard." Ginny stood in the doorway, smiling at the scene while crying. Her quiet steps almost weren't heard when she made her way to the bed and knelt down. "Come on, Mione, wake back up. We need you. Who will reprimand all of us? Who is going to explain what everybody feels to Ron? And what about SPEW? And we miss you, Mione. All of us, even the stupid git next to me who can't admit that he loves you. So open your eyes that the two of you can kiss and make up."

She smiled gently, stood up and looked at the man in front of her. He wasn't the shaggy prisoner on the run anymore, but today he seemed even worse of. "Mum will have breakfast ready soon and Madame Pomfrey will come over to check on Mione in a moment. If you don't want to come down, somebody will bring you breakfast up, but it eat. She won't want to wake up to hear that you starved yourself to death."

She looked down gently at the woman in front of her again, murmuring a quiet "Get well soon, we miss you", before going down the stairs to put on a brave face.

Sirius averted his gaze from the brunette for a moment and looked out of the window from where the sun was shining in. "Sometimes, I can't believe it always rises again. I just can't imagine light in this world if Voldermort won. Remember how you once told me about a muggle saying that the sun is very brave, because it goes up everyday to a world with so much badness. Don't let it need more bravery, Mione, come back to us. I don't want to lose you again."

Things stayed critical for the next three days. Madame Pomfrey couldn't do much against an evil curse fired with so much power and the only hope was that Hermione and her will to life would be strong enough for her to make it. Sirius rarely left her side, didn't sleep and only ate when Remus or Ginny made him. The others thought he felt guilty that she had taken the curse for him and since that was a large part of the truth, nobody who knew more felt bad about lying.

There was a desperate mood in the house; everybody was afraid for the young woman in the upper bedroom and maybe even worse for some was the fact that they could do nothing about her state. And so only hope remained while time passed by.

**AN: Sorry about taking so long for AND leaving you guys with a cliffie. I hope you still find a moment to give me a quick (or longer) review, I'd be ever so glad and thankful. **

**And with that also a huge, gigantic thank you, gracias, danke, merci (I'm no good at languages, I hope I didn't make any mistakes) to those who reviewed: Slytherinlycan, amrawo, googlibear, pstibbons and nymphie07! Your reviews help me so much and keep me going. To all those not-reviewers who still want this story to be updated, you can thank them too, they are a main reason for me to keep updating!**

**So that's it, I hoped you liked the chapter and I'll do my best not to keep you waiting to long for the next chapter.**


	8. Return

**Disclaimer: The HP Universe belongs to JKR (though it's on my Christmas list- bit I have doubts I'll get it.**

**If you don't like the live/death choice I made here, please read the AN at the end.**

Everything was black, but it seemed blurry, too. She didn't know how long she had been in this fog and she was much too tired to be interested. She felt a stab of pain on her side, which didn't go away. Sometimes she would here voices speaking quietly, but she couldn't really place it all. Scraps of sentences rang though to her, but it wasn't comprehendible. Still, on several occasions the words calmed her down and brought some peace. Then she would drift of do something like sleep, still very different.

It was the fourth day, though she didn't know that, when things changed. For the first time the blurriness cleared a bit. She was awfully tired and her side still ached painfully, but even with closed eyes everything seemed sharper. She could feel her body again; a part of the numbness that had held her so profoundly had disappeared.

She tried opening an eye, but the light was too much and she closed it again. She tried remembering instead and vaguely memories started to return. A fight, yes, she must have been hit by something. That was when she saw the curse almost in front of her and felt herself running, desperately trying to save, yes it was Sirius. With him the rest came back and she remembered everything once again.

This time with more power she forced her eyes open. The brightness of the room was blinding and it took her the best part of several minutes to adjust to it. Only then did she notice a figure which had obviously fallen asleep in the armchair opposite her bed.

"Sirius?"

He looked up. Hermione saw shock and happiness mixing in his eyes. "You're awake", he stated. He smiled, but suddenly his face turned dark. "I'll go tell the others." He left immediately.

Okay, so he obviously still hadn't forgiven her- and she still couldn't blame him for it. She wondered how long she had been out, but was interrupted in her thoughts when the door opened and Madame Pomfrey enter. She smiled after examining Hermione. "Well, it's good to see you back. Does it hurt?"

The young woman nodded. "A bit."

The nurse continued her examination. "Well, you seem a lot better. I want you to rest for today, but if you feel up to it, you can stand up for dinner. And now take these potions please, they'll help you."

"So I'm okay?"

"Yes. The scars will stay, though of course they'll fade. But for the moment I believe you have some visitors. They all came into the room, worried about her. They talked for a while, until Ginny who had noted that someone hadn't come back spoke up. "I think we should go know, Hermione will need some rest."

Madame Pomfrey hadn't had any intention of throwing them out, but one look in the redheads eyes told her she'd better do it and she wasn't surprised when Ginny stayed back and asked Hermione: "Where is he?"

"I don't know. He left to tell the others."

"Did you talk?"

Hermione shook her head, she seemed close to tears.

"That git. I'd kill him, but I guess you don't want that. He'll be here in two minutes." She left the room, throwing her hair over her shoulder. When she entered his room she saw him sitting there, staring into space. He had the sense to look ashamed when he saw her.

She didn't look at him, instead casting a silencing charm on the door before turning around. "Sirius Black! What the bloody hell were you thinking? She just saved your life, she already saved it once, okay that technically the council but still. You spent the last days not leaving her bedside and now she'd awake you disappear. Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Sirius made a mental note that Molly Weasley had no temper compared to her daughter and that he'd never cross the girl again. She continued shouting: "Both of you are so in love even Ron could notice. You've already forgiven her, because you know she made the right choice and if you don't get your courage up like a proper Gryffindor, go apologize for being a stupid, insufferable an idiotic get or I'm going to bat-bogey, imperius you and use Veritaserum.

You spent the last days completely at her side and everybody who looks you in the eye knows that it was more than guilt. And she threw herself in front of that spell for you, of course she loves you. You can't disappear just like that. So, get going."

He got up and made his way to the upper bedroom where Hermione was resting. Of course he didn't want to do this, but even before Ginny's speech he'd known it was the right thing. He'd missed her so much, as Mya, as Hermione. Maybe it was good he didn't have a choice. There was no doubt in his mind that Ginny would do what he had threatened, but perhaps that wasn't a bad thing.

He entered the room and saw Hermione lying there. She was still pale, but when she gave him a shy smile he felt she'd never looked more beautiful. He sat down in the armchair he had used for the last days.

"Listen; I'm not very good at this, but I wanted to apologize for what I did. It was idiotic and stupid and everything. You said you would leave, it was clear to me. I just didn't know what to do. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

She smiled. Happiness was in her face. "Of course. Believe me, it was a hard choice for me to make and I feel guilty for it."

He reached out and wiped a stolen tear from her face. "You are not guilty. Bellatrix killed me, Crouch sent me to prison and Riddle is behind it all. You aren't guilty. I also wanted to thank you", he continued. "For saving me. But you shouldn't have done, you could have died."

She didn't reply for several minutes, until she spoke in a quiet voice. "I wasn't planning on giving up on you again. It would have been worth it."

He shook his head. "No. But I guess I can't make you agree, what."

"No, you can't." She laughed.

They talked for a couple of minutes, but the conversation was awkward. Finally Sirius asked: "What now?"

She looked at him for several seconds. She knew immediately what he was talking about. She didn't mind that he was older, her teacher or Harry's godfather, but she was afraid that even though he had loved her as Mya, he only saw a little girl in her now. She knew what she wanted, but her fear to lose him completely was overwhelming. "I am not sure. What do you think?"

Sirius had no idea what do now. Furthermore he didn't really want to feel this intense again. He knew she'd disappeared for a good reason, but losing her had been awful and heart-breaking, something he didn't want to go through again. Though, maybe it was worth the risk he thought when he remembered just how happy he'd been with Mya.

Neither of them would later be able to retell how exactly it happened, but before they knew it their lips met in a kiss full of passion, promises and love. Perhaps it was the fact that they both made the split-of-the-moment decision to risk everything, or maybe they'd seen their felling in the others eyes.

Sirius broke the kiss some time later; neither knew how much time had passed. He was still full of doubts. "No, I'm sorry, Hermione. This shouldn't be, I'm too old for you, you deserve someone better."

He got up but her voice stopped him. "I don't care. Shouldn't this be my decision? Besides we're at war- either of us could die tomorrow. It doesn't matter how old we are. Please Sirius, I don't want to lose you again."

"I'm your teacher."

"We'll keep it secret. You're only going to be my teacher for a year."

"You haven't changed one bit." He grinned. "I never could win an argument against you."

"So- you admit your defeat?" She smirked.

"Yes Ma'am." He saluted her playfully.

"Good. Then get down here and kiss me before everybody will come back."

He bent down to her, kissing her again. For both of them, it was the return of happiness and love they could remember so well.

**AN: This chapter is very ****short- I'm sorry. I tried to make it a bit longer, but I didn't want to put too much into it. I'm not very fond of this chapter and rewrote it a couple of times, but it never worked, so I decided just to post it. Now please click that little blue button and review. It really helps me a lot to read what you think.**

**With that a gigantic thank you to my reviewers: amrawo, Slytherin-Lycan, pstibbons, googlibear, SiRiUsLyInLuV71, Nymphie07, daytimedrama. Thank youuuuuuuuuuu!**

**To the choice I made to let Hermione live: I know its cliché, but I never even thought of this as a really threatening situation. The story is supposed to go on much longer. Still, when pstibbons brought idea I really liked and seriously started considering. Well, I've made my decision to continue this story as planned, but if you want to have Hermione dead, review me. If I get several reviews asking for that, I'll write an alternate ending (it's going to be short though, two or three chapters).**


	9. Unexpected guests and a confession

**Disclaimer: ****see another chapter- sadly, nothing has changed**

It's the thirtieth of July, tomorrow will be Harry's birthday. Days have passed since their first kiss. Days of stolen kisses on rare occasions, when they finally were alone. It's been harder than they thought it would be. Not only the fact that everybody lived together here and there is no explanation for being alone, but also that nothing is the same as it used to be.

They both gave themselves up to an illusion when they thought nothing had changed. But for him seventeen years had passed and he was a different person. Thirteen years in Askaban can make people go insane, so all in all he hadn't even changed that much, still it wasn't easy.

She was another woman as well. Leaving the man she loved behind, accepting his death and mourning him left no one unaffected. That made it hard, that everything was so different and yet so similar for both of them.

And there was the fact that neither of them could take a strong point when doubts came up, because they both believed themselves to be unworthy of the other. There was the guilt, the feeling that she'd left him and the believe that he hadn't really forgiven her, untrue as it was. It troubled her, making her feel unworthy of him. Furthermore, she thought of herself as the bushy-haired bookworm, unable to see that she'd become a beauty and was now a young woman with gently cascading curls in a rich tone of brown.

But just that troubled him. He was her teacher and twice her age, and he was sure she deserved someone better, young man who had a life ahead of him. She could have anybody, so why would she choose him.

Still, their love held them together, though they were unable to see it. They both knew they loved the other, but their fears and troubles kept them from admitting it.

What held them together was the fear of losing each other. Both of them could clearly remember how close they'd been to death, and first of all how close they'd been to seeing the person they loved most die. The feeling that their happiness and love might not last until tomorrow kept them together, because for them it was almost like a way of admitting their love.

Ginny was thinking about that. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to interfere, she had done that enough and she couldn't force them. After all, it was something that should stay between the two of them. Still, it made her unhappy at the least how both of them were so self-conscious and made their own lifes hard.

She watched them, surprised that nobody but herself (and Remus- but that didn't count, Remus saw everything) noticed how Sirius and Hermione kept stealing glances at each other. "For goodness sake", she thought. "It's so bloody obvious that they're in love no matter how much they changed and everything, can't they just tell each other."

She knew it wasn't that easy of course, still she suffered with them. Neither of them had talked to her about their feeling, they'd only told her that they were together again. She'd been happy for them, at least until she'd seen that they hadn't really cleaned it up yet. She knew they'd admitted their love twenty years ago, but both were too unsure about everything that had happened to do it again.

Ginny was shaken out of her musings when Mrs Black started screeching in the hallway, but she was only surprised when the portrait immediately became quiet again. They were all in the kitchen, eating lunch at the moment and her father, Dumbeldore and Emmeline Vance jumped up and pulled their wands when Draco Malfoy entered.

Sirius didn't really registrate what was happing in the first moment, because he'd been quite busy thinking about how gorgeous Hermione looked- and was- so he only looked up when the Malfoy boy came into the kitchen.

People said that Sirius Black acted rashly, and they were certainly right, but he was also a damn good observer. Going with the fact that his cousin's son had several wands pointing at him, he didn't feel the need to pull his won, but looked around instead.

What he saw distinctly surprised him: Harry didn't wear his battle-face and just sat there, looking worried, Remus, Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna (who'd both arrived yesterday) didn't seem irritated and Ginny and Tonks were trying unsuccessfully to suppress their grins at the looks on everybody's face while Susan Bones who'd arrived with her aunt Amelia (also an Order member) for today's meeting after lunch was blushing.

"Wands down. Draco is no threat. I invited him here." Harry spoke in a calm voice but Sirius noticed very clearly that his godson wasn't a little boy any longer. He made it clear that he wished to be obeyed and Arthur sat down again after throwing along look at Harry. Dumbeldore turned around to Harry with an angry stare, but also lowered his wand.

Emmeline however didn't move an inch. "He's a Malfoy Harry. His father is a Death eater, and he probably is as well. Sirius winced when she saw the look in Harry's eyes. He'd seen it often enough, every time when Lily became angry about the fact that the Marauders pranked Snivellus. Well, Sirius thought to himself. Emmeline has always been a stupid bitch.

Harry response sounded desperate to remain calm, but with an anger underneath. "You should know better than to judge people by their families, Mrs. Vance. His cousin is sitting over there", he pointed at Tonks, "and Sirius is a Black as well. Besides if you want to decide over people by their families, why not do it by their blood status?"

She made to reply, but he cut her off. "I take it you were blown?"

The blond boy nodded.

Dumbeldore interrupted the conversation. "Harry, could you explain to us what young Mr Malfoy is doing here?"

"No, I couldn't. I invited him here, I trust him, it's none of your business and I don't need your permission. You aren't the owner of this house, just a guest. Sirius, would it be alright if he stayed here? He can be trusted." Harry sent his godfather a Marauder-grin that reminded the older man a lot of James.

He grinned back. Sirius hadn't been to happy with Dumbeldore for sending Harry to his aunt and while he wasn't sure what his godson was playing at, he trusted him and if Harry said Draco was okay, why would he doubt it. "Of course. How lovely. The whole family together again. Does anyone know if Bella has children?"

Most people tried to suppress their grins, while Molly put on her "you-should not joke about this"- face and Dumbeldore seemed very angry.

A new voice came into the discussion. "Well, dearest cousin, if you want the family together, I'm sure you'll be pleased to see me."

"Cissy?" Sirius whipped around.

In the doorway Narcissa Malfoy pulled down her hood. "Hello, Sirius. Well, it's lovely to be back again. This place looks much better."

"Draco, do you vouch for her?" Harry asked.

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

"I'll also vouch for her, if you need it." Remus spoke from his place. "Narcissa was friends with your mother and Lily trusted her."

Everybody stared at him as if he'd said that Harry's mother had been friends with Riddle himself. Sirius decided to support Remus. "It's true. Barely anyone knew, of course, it was far too dangerous, but they were very good friends." He remembered all the evenings in the Head's lounge with all of them: the Marauders, Lily, Narcissa and Mya. Mya.

Sirius turned around to look at his girlfriend. He'd completely forgotten for the moment that she'd been friends with Narcissa as well. In those short months she spent there, the three of them had been quite close.

Hermione face was blank. She was happy to see Cissy again. She'd been surprised when she first met the younger version of Narcissa Malfoy that the girl was nothing like she seemed to be. While playing the spoiled pureblood-girl, Narcissa had secretly spent her time with two Gryffindor muggleborns. The Slytherin hadn't been arrogant, but intelligent, friendly and helpful and Hermione, Mya, had soon come to see her and Lily as very good friends.

Nevertheless, her happiness to see that Cissy had finally made the choice against her husband who she'd been pressured to marry, was overruled by the fear that the other woman would recognise her.

Their gazes met and the shock and surprise showed on the blond's face. Hermione put a finger to her mouth and silently mouthed: "Later." She hoped Draco's mother would understand, because otherwise she had a very big problem.

"How did they know how to come in here anyway?" Emmeline Vance wanted to know.

Harry looked at her. "I don't know." He answered sarcastically. "Maybe the secret keeper told them."

"But Dumbeldore…"

The headmaster looked grim. "Since last year this house has two secret keepers. After Harry became owner, we transferred it too him as well."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Hestia Jones wanted to know. "It's twice the risk."

Ginny seemed unnerved. "Think for a moment. If Voldermort gets his hands on either of them", she said, pointing at the two secret keepers. "We have much bigger problems than that the headquarters are revealed. Now we've cleared that neither Draco nor Mrs. Malfoy are any danger too us, right, can we please start the meeting."

Dumbeldore seemed to sense that he couldn't win this discussion. "Well, then of course we must ask all not-Order-members to leave."

Harry smiled at him. "Normally, I would agree with you, sir. However, I think that Draco has some information for us, so he'll stay for the moment. Perhaps somebody will agree to escort Mrs Malfoy upstairs?"

"I'll do it. I'm not on duty or anything, and I'm sure you'll tell me anything important later", Hermione commented. "Mrs. Malfoy, come along please."

The two women left the room, Hermione closing the door behind them. The blonde stopped and turned around. "Is it really…"

"Not here. Come along."

She led her friend up the stairs, towards the library, around which she cast several powerful silencing charms. She'd learned to be careful, and she was sure that Cissy would get everything out of her.

"Yes. It is me. The wonders of time travel."

Narcissa Malfoy hugged the other woman, tears of joy running over her face. "I can't believe it. I thought both of you were gone forever. So, tell me everything."

After Hermione had finished telling her story, Narcissa smiled. "Oh god, that must have been awful, knowing what would happen and not being able to do a thing about it. It's wonderful that you're really alive. I'd given up all hope, after Lily died."

"Were…were you at their funeral?"

A short nod was the answer, while grief and pain shot into the other woman's eyes.

"Could you tell me? I was never able to say good-bye properly."

"It was a beautiful ceremony:"

_Flashback_

_A grey-hooded figure stood at the graveyard of Godric's Hollow. Tears were running over a face. When a wisp of wind blew a strand of hair from under her hood, she quickly tucked it back in. Narcissa Malfoy didn't want to be recognised. Not that it mattered that much anymore, her life was over._

_She'd been forced to marry a man she hated and despised herself for not be strong enough to rebel. And now she'd lost everybody important to her. In her life, she'd had two true friends, women whom her family saw as the lowest of their kind, mudbloods they called them. And yet they'd given her hope in herself and a future._

_But now, one of them had disappeared after a few short months and the other was dead. Her son was the only one who remained now, but he would probably become an arrogant pureblood-prat like his father was. Soon he'd be taken away from her, to "grow up a man". She could only hope that he'd be strong enough to withstand, that maybe he could see the right in this world. And her daughter, well she hoped that the girl she'd born two days ago was safe._

_Remus ended his speech, he'd been the last speaker. People went forward, putting flowers on the grave of two brave heroes- and two good friends. There were a lot of lilies, something that made the blonde angry. Lily had liked her name, but disliked the flower._

_Narcissa but roses their instead: four of them. One for James Potter, a good man who'd respected her though she was a Slytherin, one for Lily, the woman who'd shown her that their was more to life than prejudices, one for Sirius, in whose innocence she believed and one for Mya, because she'd been there when she was needed and because she was a ray of hope. The hope that maybe, one day, someone would manage to defeat the Dark Lord. And all for roses as symbol of the love the two couples had for each other, something she'd always admired._

_She left the graveyard quietly, not being able to get rid of the feeling that her life had been buried as well._

_The roses remained. Their magic made them last a year and when they'd grown black, she'd return every year at the same day, to put four new ones there._

Both women were crying when Narcissa finished her story. It was only some time later that they managed to compose themselves, let their mourning end for a moment.

They talked for a while, about past, present and future until Narcissa asked: "What have you told Sirius?"

"Everything I told you."

"How did he take it?"

"He didn't speak with me for several days, but he forgave me. Not that I deserved it." The guilt was visible again in her eyes which didn't go unnoticed by the other woman.

"It's not your fault, M…Hermione. It's going to take some getting used to calling you that. Anyway, are you together now?"

"Yes, we are, but I don't know. He's so much older than me, he deserves somebody better, and especially after everything I did."

Narcissa gave her friend a reassuring smile. "Have you talked to him? I'm sure he doesn't think so. The two of you are meant to be. You always were."

"I don't know. I made so many mistakes. And he should be together with some beautiful women, not with boring old bookworm Hermione."

"You know that's not true. You made the right decisions. How would you feel if Harry lost this war and hundreds of people died for your happiness? And you are beautiful, you're just afraid to admit it, because being the bushy-haired little girl is the role you've always played and you feel safe with that."

"It's not that easy."

"It is. Do you love him?"

"Yes. Did I just say that?"

"You did. I won't say I told you so, but you know it's true. Everybody who has two eyes can see. And now turn around."

**AN: Sorry for the long wait, I've been terribly busy with all the Christmas-stuff.**

**Thank you so much to all my reviewers: googlibear, SmallChatteryOne, amrawo and Slytherin-Lycan! Your reviews really helped me!**

**I'll probably update this week, I hope so at least. And now please click that blue button and leave me a short (or long) review.**


	10. An Army of the Light and Happiness

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to me…dream on. Of course it's all JKR's and I'm just playing with her characters.**

"_You did. I won't say I told you so, but you know it's true. Everybody who has two eyes can see. And now turn around."_

"Sirius?"

They locked eyes. She was afraid to see denial there, but she couldn't look away, merizmised by grey eyes. She heard Narcissa speak. "I think I'll be gone. I have the feeling I'm not wanted here." The blonde chuckled when neither of them replied, both if them still transfixed to the other's gaze.

Finally, Hermione turned away. Maybe minutes had passed, perhaps it were just seconds. She went to the window, stared out onto the grey streets of London. It was raining again, just like the last days. The rain didn't disturb them here too much. What's good weather in a house which you aren't allowed to leave?

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to hear that. I know…"

She stopped when strong arms spin her around. Those eyes, again, she couldn't bear to look at him, fearing that he'll break it off. She was afraid that this was just closure for him, that he had only gotten rid of the ghost of somebody who'd haunted him for all those years.

"Did you mean it?"

She nodded curtly and tried to turn away.

"Good, because you jut made me very, very happy and because I love you, too."

She couldn't believe it. Why would he be in love with her? He couldn't have really meant it. But when he kissed her she knew that he had meant. They broke apart some time later and he smiled down at her. "By the way- you are beautiful. Don't you forget."

She laughed. "Well, who'd I be to disagree with you?" She became more serious again. "I was so afraid, you didn't love me back and that I wasn't like you expected and remembered to be."

"Well, that's true. You're much better than I remember. Cleverer, more beautiful, more gorgeous and wonderful."

She laughed. "Are you trying to make me blush?"

"No. I'm not trying. If I look at you, it's definitely working."

She smiled. "We owe Narcissa massive. Let's do something nice for her."

"Are you trying to change the subject? I prefer to talk about you blushing. It makes your face go all nice and rosy- that looks good with your hair." He teased. "Well, if you really don't want to discuss this highly interesting theme, then doing something good for Cissy is a great idea. Any suggestions?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "I think I might have something. Let me research a bit then I'll tell you. You are going to have to visit the ministry though."

"Anything for you, Ma'am." He saluted her playfully. "Can I kiss my clever, little witch now?"

She melted into his kiss, all other thoughts leaving her mind.

----

Narcissa left the library. She was happy for both of them, but there was also a hint of jealousy in her eyes. She'd never experienced a love like that, and it was something she always wanted, though she never admitted it. Even back then to her closest friends, Lily and Mya, she never said a word about it; though she was sure they'd known. Both of them had known her far too well.

"Mrs Malfoy?" Ginny's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Have you seen Sirius or Hermione?"

"They are in the library."

Ginny threw a long look at the older woman. "If you were a friend of Harry's mother, then you knew her as well. Did she tell you?"

"Yes." She was surprised, not that Mya, no Hermione, had confided, in the girl, but that she had figured that out and been so sure that Hermione would tell her, Narcissa. She could have given a secret away.

"Good. I'll go get them."

Narcissa shifted under the young woman's gaze. She didn't want the girl bursting in their, since she wasn't sure how much Ginny knew. "I'm not sure if you should go there. They are discussing something."

Ginny looked surprised, but the slightly confused expression on her face disappeared. "You mean they're snogging after declaring their undying love?"

The blonde was utterly and completely shocked. How the bloody hell did the girl figure that out? "How did you know?"

Ginny stared at her. "I knew they were together, but did they really declare their love?"

Narcissa nodded and Ginny smiled. "Wonderful! How the hell did they manage that? I mean, it's bloody obvious for everyone else who knows, but they seemed convinced they don't deserve each other."

The other woman laughed. "Well, I kind of got Hermione to admit it when Sirius had entered the room. But she didn't know he was there."

Ginny grinned and, in a dramatic voice, announced. "I'll never say a word against Slytherins again. That was brilliant. Come down now, they want you at the meeting."

They entered the kitchen, where the Order member sat. Dumbeldore smiled. "Why don't you sit, Narcissa? We have decided to grant the Order's protection." She could have kicked him. That man was almost as full of himself as her husband.

The headmaster continued. "The most secure place for you to be at the moment is Hogwarts. Only there can we guarantee your safety."

She knew what this meant- he wanted to watch her.

"We have therefore decided that you will work as a co-professor for Severus. He will have more time to concentrate on his job as a spy."

She scowled. She'd never liked Snape, though Lily had often talked to him for some reason and had tried to make them be at least civil too each other.

Snape scowled back at her. "I didn't volunteer for this and I expect you to do your work properly."

Dumbeldore gave a false smile. "Well, now we've got that cleared we can end this meeting." He swept out of the room without another word, followed by the potions professor. As the other Order members cleared out, Ginny approached Narcissa. "Come along, we've got to get up the library."

She made her way out a moment later, followed by the blonde. When they arrived upstairs, Ginny knocked. "Stop snogging, we're having a meeting."

She entered quickly and threw one look at the couple. "Rule number one for a secret relationship", she commented, pulling out her wand, "no hickeys." She waved it over Hermione's neck, making several marks disappear.

"I take it you two really admitted it, finally, I must add and I'm not allowed to say anything bad about Slytherins anymore." She pulled a grimace, but further discussion of the topic was stopped since Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, Susan, Draco, Remus and Tonks entered the room. Narcissa was very confused. The Order had just had a meeting, right? What the hell was this now?

Before she could ask Harry had sealed the doors and cast several charms she didn't recognise, all of that without his wand. Narcissa was astounded. She could do a little bit of wandless magic, like summoning her wand, but nothing like this.

Everybody else sat down, so she took a place, as well. Harry smiled at her before he started speaking. "Okay, welcome to the meeting, and all that stuff. Most important, Draco, do you have anything for us?"

The other boy nodded. "Yes, mainly there are two things. The good news is that Blaise managed to be the one to throw me out. The Dark Lord is very pleased with her. (AN: This story is only complaint with canon until OoP and there is no mention of Blaise not being a girl there). The bad news is that he'll attack Hogwarts at the end of the year. There might be an attack on Hogsmeade first, to make everybody think that the battle is over, but he's planning something massive for after the NEWTs."

Hermione unconsciously moved a bit closer to Sirius who sat next to her; he wrapped a comforting arm around her- just a friendly gesture to most others, of course. Ginny stood up and started pacing. Harry joined her, while the others stared at them worriedly.

Narcissa was still in shock. She wasn't sure what to make of this meeting yet. But it was certainly surprising at the least, especially her son's role in it all.

Several minutes after that Harry sat down again, pulling Ginny with him. "We'll get to this later", Harry commented. "First of all, we have some other points of business. We need to introduce Mrs Malfoy and Sirius and there are several other things as well."

He looked at the others. "I'm sure you're quite surprised, Mrs Malfoy, Sirius. Let me start at the beginning. We formed the DA, Dumbeldore's Army, in our fifth year. You know about that, Sirius.

He continued. "Well, after some of the things this Order did, like not telling me that I have to kill Voldermort or die trying, we decided we would take things into our own hands."

Narcissa stared at the boy flabbergasted. "You mean they didn't tell you what's in the prophecy?"

It was his turn to look amazed. "You know about it?"

"Lily told me before they went into hiding. Don't worry, nobody found out anything about its content from me. I trained Occlumency for years."

She felt a probing at her mind as soon as she had finished the sentence. Her "visitor" didn't seem interested in her thoughts; he just seemed to test her walls. When he retreated from her mind, Harry nodded at her. "My compliment, Ma'am, you have an excellent protection.

Well, to continue on, we revived the DA, but we changed it. We're trained now, organized in squads and with leaders. At the moment we have about hundred students, a bit more, trained at Auror level, or so Tonks says, all of them were fourth year and above last year.

Of the younger students about fifty are trained so that they can fire a pretty good Expelliarmus, produce a strong shield and some of them even get mist during a Patronus charm.

"What you guys see here is the inner circle of the DA. All of us have been training a lot and when the time comes everybody except Ron and me will lead a squad. Ron is our general, he'll be giving commands to the squad leader and I'll be fighting Voldermort."

Sirius and Narcissa started at the others in shock. Sirius recovered first. "Are you guys meaning to tell me that in one year you trained an entire army while the old man down there has about thirty people, not even half of them on Auror level?"

Ginny responded. "That's why we did it. When Tom attacks, Dumbeldore will get everybody to Hogwarts and hope for the best."

Narcissa was astounded to hear the Dark Lord called "Tom". It sounded so…personal. She wasn't sure.

The redhead caught the older woman's gaze and gave a sarcastic smile. "If you'd spent a year with him in your head, you'd call him by his first name, too."

Hermione cleared her throat. "We might want to get back to business, they'll get suspicious soon."

Harry nodded. "Yes, well Narcissa, Sirius we want you to join us. Remus and Tonks are already with us and have helped greatly with the training."

Sirius agreed immediately. "I'm in. As long as we do something and not sit around listening to Snape talk about what a wonderful spy he is, I'm completely your man."

Harry then turned to Narcissa. "What about you, Mrs Malfoy?"

"Please Harry, call me Narcissa. Mrs Malfoy makes me feel as if I were my mother-in-law."

Draco started laughing. At the questioning gaze of the others he explained. "Grandma is at least a hundred years old, ugly and an awful bitch."

Narcissa continued. "Why are you asking me, Harry? You seem to be well-organized, you already have several teachers on your side and you don't know if you can trust me."

"My mother trusted you, as did Sirius and Remus. Furthermore, Ginny just informed me that she also believed you were on our side. And Dumbeldore doesn't like you." He laughed. "And that's a big point for you in my opinion."

Narcissa smiled. She was surprised that somebody whose trust had been betrayed so often still put so much faith in those around him. But if she thought about it, it wasn't that unrealistic. The way he and the Weasley girl looked at each other made her quite sure that she wouldn't betray him. And neither would Sirius or Remus. They'd always been loyal friends. And if all of them had decided to trust her, she could see why it was enough for him.

The blonde knew that she owed Harry for everything he'd done for her and her son. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well, it's likely that you have information about the Dark Lord's forces. We know that you probably have things you don't want to talk about and we won't pry, but anything you know will help us greatly.

Second, we'd like you to keep an eye on Snape. You'll be working closely together with him. And while Dumbeldore might trust him, we don't. Furthermore, 'Mione is working on some potions we don't want the headmaster to know about. Your time will be limited, but maybe you could assist her once in a while."

He'd convinced her. Narcissa Malfoy wasn't stupid and while everybody might believe that she just went to Slytherin because she was a good pureblood-girl, the Sorting Hat had told her a different story.

"_Another of you Blacks. You're brave, you'd make a fine Gryffindor, oh and loyal to those who earn your respect. Hard-working as well. Maybe I should put you in Hufflepuff. And there's intelligence, Ravenclaw would do you good.__ But no, that's all wrong. I see it down there, deep inside you know. Sly and cunning, nobody sees it yet, though it will come out. When the time comes, you'll be a SLYTHERIN."_

And she'd been a Slytherin all right. After her sisters left, she'd ruled the house. If she stayed out late, because she'd been with Lily and Mya, no one dared to ask a question or report her. The Blacks were on of the oldest, most-respected families and no one would have been stupid enough to do anything against Lucius Malfoy's girlfriend and the little sister of Bellatrix Lestrange. And Narcissa knew that and she used it- like a good Slytherin."

And a Slytherin knew a good plan when she saw one. She wanted to see the Dark Lord fall and Potter's way seemed a lot better than Dumbeldore's. "Okay. I agree to become a member of your army and to the things you asked me for."

He smiled at her. It was a true smile and she knew he wanted to trust her. She held his gaze for a moment. He studied d her eyes intensely and though he didn't use legillemency on her she had the feeling he read more in her eyes than she knew.

Finally he broke away from her gaze and looked into the room. "Next point of order. I want to convert Slytherin house."

Everybody started at him in shock. Draco was the first to speak. "Does Slytherin house know that yet? They believe the Dark Lord if you hadn't noticed.

He was surprised when his mother interrupted him. "Nonsense. Most of Slytherin house has always been neutral and we aren't stupid." She turned to Harry. "I presume you have enough spies to keep the Death Eaters at school under control?"

When he nodded, she continued. "Good. Draco, once you announce that you're on Harry's side, make it clear that you not fighting for Albus, but for Harry and against the Dark Lord. People will start to question you. Give your explanations. How many Death Eaters are there?

Draco answered her immediately: "We have ten who are marked, all in sixth and seventh year, but three of them are spies. About twenty are clear sympathizers with Voldermort, most of the others are neutral, but tend to be prejudiced."

She smiled at her son. "You know your numbers. Well, I think you can get at least half of the neutrals onto your side once Draco openly declares his allegiances."

Ginny laughed and Sirius dryly commented. "Well, Cissy, it seems there are true Slytherins in this family."

"Well, of course. The good genes had to go somewhere", she laughed.

The meeting took some longer and Narcissa was impressed by the efficiency those young people showed. At the end of the meeting Hermione smiled at her: "We might be young, but this is our war, too."

"I understand that now. Now, maybe you should go console my poor cousin who looks awfully angry at me for taking you away from him."

Hermione laughed before making her way over to the man she now was so sure he laughed. And when he smiled at her, she was truly happy for the first time in these last weeks.

**AN: So that's it for now. And they confessed their love, finally. I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit longwinded and boring, but I had to give you guys the information. The next chapter will center on Narcissa again, but don't worry; we'll get back to Sirius and Hermione.**

**Thank you so much to all my reviewers: amrawo, pstibbons, Slytherin-Lycan, ctc, Nymphie07, MrsZacEfron1889, daytimedrama and googlibear. Your reviews help me sooo much.**

**Now, to everybody please, please review and I wish you all a wonderful Christmas. I'll probably update between the years again. **

**And a little spoiler line for the next chapter (it might change though, no guarantee):**

_**Miss Black receives custody over all children of this marriage.**_

_**(…)**_

"_**Cissy…it says children here."**_


	11. Paris

**Disclaimer: Everything is the property of brilliant JKR. I don't one anything you recognise.**

Harry's birthday and the following days passed quickly. With the help of Narcissa and Ginny, Hermione managed to spend some time with Sirius, but it was still difficult to hide their relationship. Somehow, it didn't matter too much though. The knowledge that he loved her was enough to keep her happy and since Narcissa had tricked her into telling him, she felt like a gigantic weight was lifted from her shoulders.

She smiled as she made her way down to the kitchen for breakfast. If they were lucky Narcissa would have some good news this morning. Mrs Weasley, Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Narcissa, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Susan and Luna were all in the kitchen while the others had left for work.

Just when Hermione entered, an owl flew towards the window. Mrs Weasley stood up to open it. The owl passed her and flew towards Narcissa.

Everybody looked at the blonde in surprise, but she just shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea."

She opened the letter, read through it and gasped. "Oh Merlin." She jumped up and hugged her cousin. "Thank you so much, Sirius. I can never make this up to you."

Quietly, so that the others wouldn't hear, he whispered. "You already did. It's just a small thank you." Meanwhile Ginny had picked up the letter, while the others were reading over her shoulder.

_**Dear Mr Malfoy, Dear Miss Black, **_

_**Herby the Department of Magical law Enforcement announces your immediate divorce due to the interference of Miss Black's head of house, who has annulled this marriage in accordance with his right as head of house. **_

_**Miss Black receives custody ove**__**r all children of this marriage and the sum of gold she brought into the marriage, which is currently being transferred.**_

_**With greetings,**_

_**Hopkirk**_

_**Magical Law Enforcement**_

"Why did you do that, Sirius?" Mrs Weasley asked. "I mean you didn't know if Narcissa wanted the divorce."

"She'd already filed for it." He answered. "But then a little birdie told me that I could speed up the process."

Harry threw him a look. "Are we going to get out of you who that was?"

Sirius shook his head. It had been Hermione's idea when she'd remembered that he could divorce marriages as a head of house, but he wasn't about to tell Harry "Yeah, my brilliant girlfriend thought of it , because Narcissa helped us confess our love." Anyway, further discussion was prevented when Ginny gasped. "Narcissa, it says children here."

The blonde spun around, grabbing the letter from Ginny. "Oh shit. How the bloody hell did they know that?"

Draco stared at his mother. She never swore. "Are you meaning to tell me that I have siblings?"

Narcissa took several deep breaths before sitting down. "Okay, I guess I owe all of you an explanation. I'm sorry about no telling anyone, especially you, Draco, but it was too dangerous. I gave birth to a girl on October first, a year after you were born and the day after Lily and James died. Most people were out of course and so it happened that I was alone with a young mediwitch during labour.

She noticed I'd cried about the article announcing their death and somehow I ended up telling her my whole story. I explained to her how much I feared that my child would be married away or forced to become a Death Eater. Well, she offered to take it away. She was Muggle-born and she had a cousin in France who'd been trying to adopt a child for some time now.

It was a spur of the moment decision for both of us. I gave her my baby girl, she apparated away and I told Lucius that our daughter had died. As soon as I'd said it was a daughter, he wasn't interested anymore anyway. She's fifteen now, she'll be entering her sixth year at Beauxbatons, lives in a suburb of Paris and she's a good pupil. That's what the healer told me. We've met once a year and she told me everything she knew.

The others stared at her in shock. "What is her name?" Draco asked.

"Lily. Lily Mya." She stood up, walked towards the window so that no one would see her tears and turned around again. "For the two people who gave me hope and had faith in me."

Ginny broke the moment that had halted the room. She did it on purpose, because she knew that either Hermione or Narcissa would reveal something otherwise and because they had another problem. "Your husband probably got the same letter. And that means he knows, too."

The next minutes were a blur for Narcissa. She vaguely remembered her son forgiving her for not telling him. He was a spy; he understood what it meant to keep secrets. Then there was Remus informing Dumbeldore and after that Hermione came up next to her. "Calm down, Cissy. We're sure that the Death Eaters haven't been there yet. Lucius only knows that you have another child; it will take him some time to find out more. Besides, he'll be more concerned about the fact that you get so much money. And we don't know if he'll react at all. And now we're going to Paris."

"What?"

"We're going to Paris, you, me and Sirius. Sirius is best with the wards since Bill has to work and I started to train puting them up. We're setting up wards around the house, giving her and her family emergency portkeys and convincing them to send her to Hogwarts this year. She'll be safe there. Now, hold on." She handed the other woman a mirror. All of them felt the familiar pulling sensation as they landed in a small alleyway.

Hermione looked around, pulling out a map. It was a short walk, and then they stood across from the house. "That's it." She said. After casting disillusionment charms upon themselves, they started putting up several strong wards around the house. When they were finished, Narcissa looked at the other. "I want to do this alone."

"We can't just leave you here", Sirius protested.

"You can. I've got the emergency portkeys and you guys need some time alone. Have fun in Paris. I really need to do this by myself."

"Okay. When should we be back?" Hermione didn't sound too happy, but she knew her friend was right. And once Narcissa had set her mind on something, there was no sense in arguing.

"Let's say at two o'clock. Three hours should be enough time for all of us. Now, go to the Eiffel Tower, have a nice lunch and don't come back to early." Narcissa spun around, walking towards the house. Halfway there she turned around. "I'll find the way you now, you guys can go."

"Be careful, Cissy." Hermione said. "And good luck."

When Narcissa knocked, Sirius turned to his girlfriend. "Have you ever been to Paris?"

She shook her head. "We were in France, but not in Paris."

"Okay hold onto my arm then, I'm taking you by side-along apparition."

A moment later they disappeared to land in a small pub that reminded Hermione of the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius smiled at her. "Welcome to Paris. Now, where do you want to go? Muggle or Magical Paris?"

"Muggle Paris. I always wanted to see the Eiffel tower. But what about you?"

"I'd love to go there as well- we always only went to magical Paris when we came here with the family. Well, I snuck out once, but apart from that…"

They made their way through the streets of the beautiful city, until they reached the Eiffel Tower. "It would have been so much easier to apparate", Sirius complained when they'd finally reached the highest platform of the Tower after a lot of standing in line.

"Yes, but it might be kind of strange if she just appeared there. Besides, what if we accidentally landed in the wrong place."

"You'd conjure a broom and I'd fly us down."

"Great idea. And then we oblivate everybody here."

"Yes, that's exactly it."

She groaned. "That was sarcasm. Why do I put up with you?"

"You know you love me."

"I can't even protest, you know."

"I really admire the way you tell me you love me." He teased. "First you tell Narcissa, and then you say you can't deny it."

"You want me to tell you properly?" She turned so that she was facing him. "I love you." She spoke her words with such intensity that only in this moment it became clear to her just how true they were.

He bent down, breathing "I love you too", into her ear before he kissed her.

They stood there for a long time after they'd broken apart. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said. "When you look down, you see the city, but if you look far enough you cans see the horizon."

"Yes. Sometimes, when I wanted to get away, I'd climb up onto the roof of Grimmauld Place when I was a child. It was just like here, the sun, the houses and the horizon almost not visible."

"Tell me about your childhood, Sirius, you never talk about it."

"You don't want to know, believe me."

"I do. It is a part of you, no matter how much you despise it."

He pulled her close, looked her once into her beautiful, brown eyes, before he let his gaze wonder over the city. They were silent for several moments. She didn't say anything; she knew he would talk when he was ready.

"Well, you met my mother's portrait. It's not too far from reality. She had a temper that would make Molly seem like nothing. The family was the most important thing to her, everything for her. She was evil in a way. She hated everybody who crossed her. She believed in all those prejudices, but she never really thought about them.

My father was a busy man. He showed no interest in the family, he let mother decide everything. He shut himself in his study, only coming out on seldom occasions.

Regulus was boring. The good son who did what was asked of him without enthusiasm, even when we were children. He'd do as mother wanted, every time. I mourned for him when he died, but not for a brother I could have loved, only for a boy who'd chosen the wrong path.

Until I went to school, life was boring. I played the good son as well as I could, because there wasn't anything else to do. When I was sorted into Gryffindor, mother sent a howler, Regulus stopped writing to me and father didn't do anything. Bella laughed. When I asked her why later on, she said she imagined the look on the families' faces and then she told me she was proud."

Sirius smiled when he saw Hermione's confused look. "She was different then. We were close, closer than I was with anyone else in my family. She had ambition and she mingled with dark magic, but she wasn't evil. Back then, we were both just rebels. She was three years older and she changed when I was fourteen.

It wasn't one of these slow changes; she was a different person after she met _him_." He spoke the last word with hate, she understood all too well. She hated Voldermort with the same passion, though he hadn't taken as much from her as from Sirius. Once, Hermione'd tried to deny these feelings of pure hate, but after some time she'd accepted it.

Sirius continued. "It was at some ball and she became entranced by him. She was going out with Rodolphus, but I doubt she ever felt anything for him. And then she fell for Riddle. She loved him instantly and she gave her life up for him.

That's something I can never for give Voldermort. He took so many I loved from me: you, James, Lily, in a way even Peter and Bellatrix. Without him, she might still have rebelled, the family wasn't pleased when she became a Death Eater, simply because she was a woman, but she wouldn't have become a murderer. She shoot a stunner at me. Maybe because of the old times. I couldn't have killed her, I know that much."

Discreetly Hermione wiped tears from her eyes. She was crying for the lost childhood of the man she loved and maybe just for a bit, for the lost life of a woman she despised.

And she cried because of her fears. "You know what I'm afraid of most?" She said. "I faer losing those I love. I know that not everybody will make it through this war. I can't bear of losing anybody to this war, it's just so useless."

He held her tight, while she was crying. Finally, she regained her composure. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin this beautiful day."

He shook his head. "It's not your fault, love. It's fate during wars that we can never truly forget. Besides, we still have to an hour left and I wouldn't consider a day with you ruined." She smiled, the dark thoughts going to the back of her mind as they continued their visited in the city.

They returned to the house in the suburb at two o'clock. Hermione rang the doorbell, which was opened by a brunette woman with a round, friendly face. She smiled at them. "Hello, you must be the other visitors for Lily. That was quite a shock for us all this morning. I'm Ann Miller-Dupont, by the way. My husband is French, that's why we moved here. Now come on to the living room. Lily and Miss Black are there.

Hermione took an instant liking to the woman who reminded her a lot of Molly. They entered the living room, where they found Narcissa talking to a young girl with dark blonde hair who otherwise resembled her mother. Hermione smiled at the similarity. She was happy for Narcissa. She'd been through so much bad in her life, but at least she was free of Lucius now.

Narcissa looked up. "There you guys are. Sirius, Mione, meet Lily. Lily these are your future transfiguration professor Sirius Black and Hermione Granger, the head girl. Sirius is my cousin."

After Sirius and Hermione had sat down, Narcissa told them what she had discussed with her daughter. "Well, we agreed that Lily would attend Hogwarts this year. She'll be in sixth year. Her family will be protected by the wards and they'll have emergency portkeys."

They talked for several more minutes and Hermione was surprised how little problems Lily had with the fact that her mother suddenly appeared after all these years. Of course, she'd known she was adopted, but still…

They left around three and made their way back to Grimmauld.

"So, what's she like?" Draco asked during dinner.

"Very nice and clever. She is funny as well, you enjoy talking to her. She looks like your mother, but with darker hair. The family who adopted her are nice as well. She's fairly okay with what's happening, better than I'd suspected."

Hermione hesitated. She wasn't sure how to put the next part in words. "But she hasn't fought, you know. Not that I'd say that that makes her a less worthy person, but it's just a difference. The war didn't come to France. It was strange, speaking with someone who hasn't lost anything in this war. It's all so far away for her and I do feel bad that she going to be a part of this now. It's a kind of innocence you never get back. We can only hope that we'll be able to end all this soon."

**AN: Well, I decided to post this chapter, though I'm not too happy. I hope you guys still review, please, please, please. It really helps me. A gigantic thank you to all my reviewers: amrawo, lalabella 321, pstibbons, googlibear!!!**

**Now, a little question to all my readers: do you want to have Lily in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. I imagine her as a friendly and helpful girl who has something motherly around her. But she's also brave, so she'd fit in both houses and I can't decide. I'm sorry I have so little of her in this chapter, but there'll be more about her.**

**Now, click the blue button, give me a review and a happy new year to all of you!!!**


	12. Leaving & Fighting

Time goes by too fast during happy times. And though the inhabitants of Number 12, Grimmauld Place were happy, the shadows of the coming war hung over them. In an Order meeting around the middle of September, they were all again reminded how much they and those they loved stood in the first line of what was to come.

It was near the end of the meeting when Severus Snape gave his report. "There are a number of Death Eaters who have come together in the Lestrange Manor on the border to Wales. Avery, Goyle, McNair and the Lestranges are all there at the moment."

"Can we attack there?", Harry asked.

Snape sneered. "You certainly can't, Potter. The Manor lies in the forest, and while it isn't protected by the Fidelius, it is highly warded. They'd have apparated away before we could have destroyed the ward."

Bill Weasley looked up. "Is there just one ward?"

"Yes- but that doesn't make it easier. No human not carrying the Dark Mark can cross the line, and the ward was invented by the Dark Lord himself."

The discussion went on for some time. Suggestions included asking the centaurs for assistance, but they probably wouldn't agree. It was nearly twenty minutes later when Sirius had an idea. "What about Animagi?"

Dumbeldore thought for several moments. "It could work, but we don't really have enough Animagi. There are at least four people in the Manor and we'd need animals that are expected to be there."

"What do you mean by that?" Sirius interjected.

"Well, you could go- a stray might live in the forest, but Minerva for instance is registered and would surely be recognised."

"So, we'd need at least one more person who is a forest animal and not registered"; Harry summarized, before turning into a stag.

He was himself again moments later, the other staring at him, seemingly unable to believe what they'd just seen. The decision that Harry and Sirius would leave tomorrow at dawn was made fifteen minutes later, after a lot of protests from Molly. Narcissa was glad that Ginny and Hermione hadn't attended the meeting. They'd wanted to stay in the Potions Lab, since Hermione was busy and Ginny saw the meetings as waste of time and attended only half of them.

Quietly, so that only her aunt could hear, Tonks whispered. "Ginny and Hermione are going to kill everyone here. First the boys, then Dumbeldore, then us for not preventing it and everybody else for good measure."

Narcissa agreed. Both of the girls would have certainly put their lives at stake, but leaving the mean they loved go on a dangerous mission was something else completely. And it was far more dangerous than anyone in this room dared to admit, since no one was sure how many Death Eaters would be there.

Sirius and Harry seemed to make the wise decision of disappearing for a bit. Narcissa knew that she should probably tell the two girls herself; since they might say something the others shouldn't hear, otherwise.

She regretted her decision after Ginny started screaming. Blimey, that girl had a temper that made her mother look like a saint. It took some time for Narcissa to calm both girls down. "You know that they're doing the right thing. You'd do the same."

"Oh, bloody hell, "Ginny said. "I know you're right, but I still don't want them to go." She gave a small smile. "You have convinced me not to kill them right away though, only if they don't return."

Hermione didn't say much during the day, which didn't surprise Narcissa. Her friend didn't let it all out like Ginny, but bottled her fear up instead. Well, it was a way to deal with life and she had done the same for years as well. Narcissa sincerely hoped that Harry and Sirius would come back well; she didn't know how the others would survive otherwise.

Narcissa was the last to go up that night and was surprised to meet Hermione in the hall. "What are you doing here?"

The brunette did her best to look innocent. "Um…getting a drink of water?"

"Yes and I'm a Death Eater. That's the worst excuse I've ever heard- you can conjure water, you know."

"Trying to seduce your cousin."

Narcissa wasn't really surprised. She saw no sense in trying to persuade Hermione to not do what she planned, because she knew that her friend wouldn't listen anyway. Besides, why not? "Good luck with that. Don't get pregnant."

Hermione chuckled as Narcissa made her way to her room. She was really one of a time and briefly Hermione wondered what would happen if Narcissa ever met one of her children like this. Then, she continued her way towards Sirius's room. Hermione had made her decision as soon as she'd heard that they would leave tomorrow. She'd been planning on doing this anyway, sow why not now.

Hermione took a deep breath before opening Sirius's door.

Sirius Black had always been a light sleeper, and years on the run caused him to wake up during the slightest sound. So, when he heard the door open he turned around immediately, expecting Death Eaters to see his girlfriend standing there. He was surprised to say at the least. Not that he hadn't been in this situation before, but normally with boring, blonde seductresses not with his sweet, beautiful, clever girlfriend who looked damn sex in that dressing gown.

"Hermione? What the hell are you doing here?"

She shut the door. "Well, what does it seem like?"

"You're too young."

"I'm of age."

"Not in the Muggle world." Okay, stupid argument, but it was kind of hard to come up with anything proper when she looked so sexy.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a witch."

"I'm your teacher."

"Technically, only from September first on."

"We've only been together for a month."

"Well, it was more like five months with a short interruption for me."

"Ginny will notice."

"Oh really, Ginny hasn't spend a night in our room the whole summer."

"Okay, that was too much information. Harry's my godson. Are you just doing this because we're leaving tomorrow?"

No, I'm not. I was planning on doing this anyway and since you're leaving tomorrow, I'm doing it today. But not because of that, but because I love you." Her last words were spoken with such sincerity, that he really couldn't say much more, especially when she slipped of her dressing gown to reveal matching, brown-lace underwear.

She looked like a goddess, he noted. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Narcissa stood on the balcony of the drawing room, watching the sunrise. She'd been here for some time now and had watched two men leave the house and apparate away a moment later. She turned slightly when she heard footsteps behind her to see Ginny Weasley approach.

The other woman joined her in her silent vigilance for several minutes, until her voice broke the silence. "They're gone now, aren't they?"

Narcissa merely nodded. How many times had she watched her husband leave? She hadn't loved him, but she hadn't hated him at that point. She could only imagine how painful it was for the young girl next to her whose love was so very strong.

Hermione woke up in and empty bed, but not in her room. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked. Why was she here? Then, she remembered yesterday evening and the hours of love-making that had followed. It had been amazing, wonderful. She was glad she'd made her choice yesterday and she didn't regret it. She turned around slowly, to see a beautiful red rose lying on the bed next to her. But he was gone. She left quietly, returning to her room in case someone came by.

Tears were running own her face and she remembered his words that one can never truly forget during war. Lat night had been the most wonderful night of her life, but now all she had left was the hope that everything would be alright and the beautiful rose she was carrying.

The day went by miserably for all of them. You could feel sadness and bad moods over the house and Ginny and Hermione had shut themselves away in the Potions Lab with Narcissa.

Molly distracted herself with cooking, and when Remus told her that Narcissa, Hermione and Ginny wouldn't come for lunch, she commented. "Yes, Ginny certainly seems very miserable that Harry is gone. Well, she is still so innocent and she has had a crush on him for sometime."

It took Remus is whole control to comment. "She is still young after all." Remus had a pretty good idea of sleeping arrangements in Grimmauld Place, due to his watchful observation and an enhanced sense of smell as a werewolf, but if Molly wanted to pretend that her daughter was a little girl, he'd let it be. It was her way of coping, acting as if those who'd fight in the first line where still children.

On the border to Wales there is a small village called Llainvair Waterdine. The inhabitants of said village knew nothing about the old mansion in the middle of the forest. It wasn't as large as those its owners had in other places, more like a weekend home if you wanted some peace and quiet.

A stag and a large dog were running through the forest, towards said mansion. They slowed when they approached it, keeping their eyes open for guards, but none were there. They crossed the ward without problems, stopping shortly to give a smile) or as much of a smile as a dog and a stag can give) of relive that they'd crossed the border.

They continued on towards the house, turning back into humans when they'd reached the door. Harry Potter and Sirius Black gave each other a look of understanding, clearing up if they were ready to fight. Then, they pulled their wands in almost identical movements while the older man suddenly had a knife in his other hand. He opened the door quickly, and they entered the house.

The hall was empty, so they opened the first door. Behind it seemed to be the library, where Rodolphus Lestrange stood. He whirled around when he heard them. "Sirius! Bella will be so pleased to see you."

It were his last words, for Harry's curse struck him a moment later, killing him. Sirius was mildly surprised. He'd killed his fair share in the first war, but sill. That moment he knew that his best friend's child wasn't a kid any longer and probably hadn't been for a long time. It had been the right thing to do of course, if they'd stunned or captured him, Rodolphus would have been free before long.

Quietly, they left the library, to open the next door, behind which the dining room lay. McNair and Goyle were the next victims, killed before they had time to pull out their wands. But two Death Eaters remained and Bellatrix Lestrange and Avery wouldn't be quiet so easy to kill. The woman's cackling laughter was heard throughout the house. "How stupid of you to come here, cousin Sirius. Now I can kill you without having the trouble finding you."

She quickly ducked when Harry sent "Sectumsempra" at her. "Well, baby Potter all grown up." She shot a Crucio towards him. "I see you can cast the killing curse now. Tell me, how it feels for", she cast a shield against the bone-shattering curse he'd sent, "for you. Do you like it? Inflicting pain or murdering coldheartly." They exchanged more curses, shielding themselves, dodging and ducking.

Bellatrix shot another Crucio at her opponent, hitting him and making him fall to the floor, writhing in pain. "Yes, you feel the pain. But do you like giving it?" He rolled away from her next curse, shooting a killing curse towards her. She dodged it, her cackling laughter cruel and already full of triumph.

Next to them, Avery and Sirius were duelling. Avery managed to throw a stunner at Sirius, but was hit with a stray killing curse from Harry's and Bellatrix's match just a moment later.

Harry turned towards them when both men fell towards the floor, giving Bellatrix the time for yet another Crucio. He lost his wand when he fell, making Bellatrix laugh again.

"Now, baby Potter, what will you do? You're disarmed and when I'm finished with you, I'll get to my dear cousin."

**AN: Sorry about the cliffie, but it seemed good to end it here.**** And the chapter is a bit shorter, but I updated fast.**

**I just wanted to point something out to you guys: First of all, the house in which Lily's family stays has been warded and they have emergency portkeys. Second, Lily doesn't leave her family behind. She has been going to Beauxbatons (see Chapter "Paris"), so she'll only change schools, and she doesn't leave her family or sees less of them. She can visit them in the holidays as much as she did in Beauxbatons and owl them. She won't see her friends at school that often anymore, but, hey, people move and have to make new friends. They can still stay in contact. Thank you to pstibbons for pointing out to me that this might have been understood incorrectly.**

**So, I hoped you guys like this chapter and now please review. Thanks to my previous reviewers pstibbons, amrawo and googlibear. Reading your reviews is really great for me.**


	13. Chapter 12

Next to them, Avery and Sirius were duelling

**Disclaimer: The Potterverse and its characters belong to Joanne K. Rowling. I'm making no profit of this.**

_Next to them, Avery and Sirius were duelling. Avery managed to throw a stunner at Sirius, but was hit with a stray killing curse from Harry's and Bellatrix's match just a moment later._

_Harry turned towards them when both men fell towards the floor, giving Bellatrix the time for yet another Crucio. He lost his wand when he fell, making Bellatrix laugh again._

"_Now, baby Potter, what will you do? You're disarmed and when I'm finished with you, I'll get to my dear cousin." _

As she continued her taunting, she never saw him change the letters on an old, golden coin.

* * *

Only minutes later, a beautiful, proud lioness was running through the woods. She prayed she would not be too late, for every minute could decide the fate of her best friend and the man she loved. She didn't slow down for a minute, not even when she had long crossed the wards to the building. Finally, finally, she reached the mansion. Once inside, she made her way through the rooms quickly, till she heard the voice of a woman, a voice she recognised all too well. The door had been blasted open and she ran straight into the room.

Bellatrix had been standing there taunting Harry for minutes, no matter how unwise it was. She was about to send a killing curse at the boy-who-lived, finally ridding this world of him and allowing the Dark Lord his victory when she was attacked from behind. She never realized what was happening, the next thing she knew she was down on the floor, a giant lioness hovering above her.

As soon as he had his wand again, Harry revived Sirius. When Sirius opened his eyes, and looked around the room, expecting to be captured, he was surprised. Harry was sending a stunner at Bellatrix who was lying on the floor under a …lioness?

He stood up, pulling his wand at the beautiful animal. He had no idea what was happening, and years of war had taught him that it was better to be cautious sometimes. What he had not expected was the lioness to turn into Hermione. She jumped up, hugging his godson. "God, Harry, I was so worried when I received your message! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He smiled at her gently, while her gaze travelled to the other person in the room. Sirius had lowered his wand and was staring at her with a mixture of shock, relief and something else in his eyes. He held her gaze for minutes, before they simultaneously rushed forwards to embrace. Somewhere behind them, they heard Harry's half-shocked, half-amused voice. "I'm going to apparate to Grimmauld and tell the other's we're all right. I'll be taking her", he pointed to Bellatrix "with me."

Hermione registered his words somewhere in the back of her head, but she wasn't really listening. "I was so worried." It was just a whisper, but he still heard it, and pressed her closer to him, holding her as not to forget that she was here and that they were safe, for now at least.

Minutes later, he finally released his tight hold on her, when she asked what had happened.

"Well, everything was pretty good, and we had most of them, but then Avery got me with a stunner. I was lucky, I guess. With the stuff he was sending at me, it could have been something much worse. Harry was duelling Bella the whole time, and the next thing I knew, I was looking at a beautiful lioness. By the way, how did you know that we were in trouble?"

She smiled, for the first time that day and reached into her robes to pull out a small golden coin. "We used these for Dumbledore's Army, when to meet. I had a Protean Charm on them, and I gave Harry another one, sometime last year. You don't need a wand to change the letters. And then he sent me a message today, telling me that the two of you were in trouble. And did you really think he did the Animagus turning on his own? I would have come with you right away, but I knew no one would accept a lioness as an animal living around here."

"How did you do it, the Animagus transformation?"

She smiled. "Last year, when things were getting more dangerous, I thought about how we could get some kind of extra protection. Something we could use if we lost our wands. Well, Ron and Harry were in the kitchens, and when they came back they had the cloak and the map with them. I thought of you guys and becoming Animagi, it seemed like a good idea. The day after that, I started brewing the potion."

"Impressive." He pulled her close again. "My clever little witch."

"Yours", she whispered back to him. They stood there for hours, or maybe not quiet that long, until Narcissa apparated in, now that the wards had been removed, called them lovebirds, and told them they should come back before anyone noticed, well unless they wanted people to know.

And then she was gone again, and despite their better knowledge thy stayed for another moment. And in Sirius' arms, looking out of the window of a Death Eater mansion, Hermione decided that they could win this war, that they had to. Not because they were fighting for what was right, but because they had everything to lose, and Voldermort had long lost everything.

_There is a room in the Department of Mysteries…_

**AN- IMPORTANT: ****This chapter will be the last one- but there will be a sequel. As soon as I know more about where I want to go with it, I'll post an AN.**

**My thanks to all my reviewers, especially to those who have reviewed for this chapter and to those who have reviewed the whole time. It has helped me so much throughout the story  
**

**I hope you'll still review, despite this short chapter and see you for the sequel. **

**Katja**


	14. Important AN: I'm writing a sequel!

**Disclaimer: The HP universe belongs to JKR. I'm just fooling around.**

VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE

THIS STORY WILL HAVE A SEQUEL! Okay, first of all I'm very sorry to everyone who thought this was a chapter, but since I have good news- at least for those who like the story- I hope you guys will forgive me. To the important stuff:

**Winter Of Tears**

They were happy together, despite secrecy and war. But now, when danger arises, Hermione must leave on a mission that could end deadly. Will she return to Sirius- and will ge be there when she comes back? A story of time travel, lust and love, betrayal and desire, hate and war and so much more.

_Extract: She opened her eyes to look into the face of a handsome man with black hair and cnning grey eyes. For the smallest part of a moment, she had to think of Sirius. He stared at her suprised. "Salazar Slytherin at your service and Ma'am, may I inquire who you are?"_

No guarantee: I only just started rough drafting, and details in extract and summary might change.

Thank you to all readers and reviwers and I hope to see you all again for "Winter of Tears" (it's not as angsty as the title sounds).

Till then, Katja


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